Article April 6, 1929 Issue

Extracts from Reports of Christian Science Committees on Publication for the Year Ended September 30, 1928

with contributions from Rufus M. Jones

To correct erroneous and misleading statements, it was found advisable to write forty letters—twenty-six to newspapers, nine to clergymen, three to school authorities, and two to radio stations. In several instances editors apologized for misstatements appearing in their papers. Several kindly replies were received from clergymen, some leading us to believe they had attacked Christian Science for the last time. The managing director of a radio station which broadcast derogatory remarks regarding Christian Science, apologized and gave definite assurance against any repetition. The offending speaker and organization were notified accordingly, and further broadcasting made conditional on a promise not to interfere with the religious beliefs of others. A teacher in a certain high school, perhaps inadvertently, permitted an untimely discussion of Christian Science, and introduced certain misleading statements relative thereto. The matter was taken up in a kindly manner conducive to healing the situation, and satisfactory explanations, apologies, and assurances against repetition were accepted from the principal of the school and from the teacher.

As a slight indication of the splendid reputation of The Christian Science Monitor as a reliable source of interesting and instructive news items, this office has collected five hundred and seventy-eight clippings from the newspapers of Ontario, of articles taken from the Monitor with due credit given in each instance. Included in this number are two hundred and sixty-four special articles made up of parts of the religious articles appearing in the Monitor and supplied through this office. Editors are also being supplied each week with reports of our church services in the form of news items containing the subject, with one citation from the Bible and one from our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, taken from the lesson. In addition to a large number of copies of current Christian Science literature, two thousand seven hundred and fifty copies of papers containing corrective articles have been distributed through this office. While the good accomplished through the spoken word and printed report of a Christian Science lecture cannot be accurately estimated, it is equally certain that the possibilities should not be limited or underestimated. The Committee on Publication and Assistant Committees are ever alert to cooperate with boards of churches and lecture committees, to secure adequate advertising and reporting of lectures. While results are always open to improvement, we are grateful for the publication of approximately seven thousand six hundred agate lines of lecture reports in Ontario during the past year. We know that gratitude for blessings received is essential to a fitness to receive more, and that persistent prayerful consideration of this problem by all Christian Scientists will be conducive to progress.