Article April 28, 1928 Issue

In a recent issue you graciously furnished space in the...

Hugh Stuart Campbell, Committee on Publication for the State of Illinois,

Urbana Daily Courier

In a recent issue you graciously furnished space in the columns devoted to "People's Forum" for my letter replying to certain misleading and critical remarks about Christian Science which had been uttered by an evangelist at a revival service and reported in the Courier. It is not my purpose now or at any time to engage in controversial debate with those who are disposed to denounce Christian Science in language that does not always dignify Christian faith in the divine theology of Christ Jesus. There is no warrant for our critic to infer that my reply to his comment was in the nature of an attack upon him or his beliefs. Quite the contrary; for my letter of correction, which you were good enough to publish, merely answered unfounded opinions with facts which were not only correct but clear and convincing to your readers. In a later issue our critical correspondent again returned to your columns with a letter in which citations from "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" and other writings by Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, were freely employed. These quotations are with few exceptions, I am grateful to say, correct and properly credited to their author. However, our critic unfortunately employed the questionable practice of separating each quotation used from its intimate context, a practice which tends to becloud the meaning as intended by any author. In common justice, our literary folk should not use such means to gain a point, for they well know it is a method that is quite generally discredited.

Now, religious prejudice is a thing unthought and unexpressed by Christian Scientists. Indeed, they lovingly extend the hand of Christian fellowship to all who are sincerely endeavoring to spiritualize human thinking. I wish it to be known to your readers and correspondents that my attitude and the attitude of all students of Christian Science toward those of differing religions is clearly defined by Mrs. Eddy when she says: "Students are advised by the author to be charitable and kind, not only towards differing forms of religion and medicine, but to those who hold these differing opinions. Let us be faithful in pointing the way through Christ, as we understand it, but let us also be careful always to 'judge righteous judgment,' and never to condemn rashly" (Science and Health, p. 444).

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