Article March 17, 1928 Issue

My attention has been drawn to your recent report of a...

Ralph W. Still, Committee on Publication for the State of Texas,—Houston

Post-Dispatch

My attention has been drawn to your recent report of a sermon by a prominent Baptist churchman of Houston, in which are listed the fundamentals of his faith; but as the minister included some references to Christian Science that reveal a lack of comprehension of its teachings on his part, I should be pleased to have you allow space for the necessary corrections. In the account in question it is stated that the minister denies the right of Christian Science to be known as Christian because, as he avers, it "ignores the cross of Jesus Christ," and teaches that Jesus did not suffer, or that the sufferings endured were "mere mortal error." As to the question of the position the cross occupies in Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, in commenting on her experiences leading up to the discovery of Christian Science, says (Retrospection and Introspection, p. 30) that she was led to the discovery "through the gospel of suffering, the providence of God, and the cross of Christ." And on page 357 of her book "Miscellaneous Writings" occurs the following: "Without the cross and healing, Christianity has no central emblem, no history."

Concerning the question of Christian Science ignoring or minimizing the sufferings endured by the Saviour, it is difficult to select the most appropriate quotation from the many to be found in Mrs. Eddy's writings. However, on page 48 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," she has referred to the "sweat of agony which fell in holy benediction on the grass of Gethsemane;" and on page 54 of that work reference is made to Jesus' "intense human sacrifice." No people realize the deep import of the Saviour's sacrifices more than do Christian Scientists; and their humble prayer and desire is to be found worthy to follow in the footsteps of their Way-shower and Exemplar, Christ Jesus. Moreover, Christian Scientists are content to rest the question of the correctness of their teachings on the basis of demonstration, certain that healing the sick, the sinning, the suffering, and the sorrowing through the Christ-power—as Christian Science teaches—substantiates the conformity of their theology to the Scriptures better than doctrinal argument. "By their fruits ye shall know them," is the test laid down by the Master to judge of those who lay claim to be his followers.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

My attention has been drawn to your recent report of a...

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access