Article September 14, 1929 Issue

In your issue of the 9th a contributor to your columns...

Israel Pickens, Committee on Publication for the State of Alabama,—Union Springs

Herald

In your issue of the 9th a contributor to your columns has expressed his views on a number of subjects of general interest. Conceding everyone's right to his or her opinions, it is sometimes the case that an individual may be misinformed on some things and may thus inadvertently do an injustice to another.

Your correspondent is just and fair in his estimate of Christian Science in his statement that "a great amount of Christian Science doctrine is sound and good, because Jesus taught it long before Mrs. Eddy was born." He is mistaken, however, when he states that "a still greater amount of the doctrine is childish and false and dangerous." Christian Science is not Mrs. Eddy's invention or innovation. She claimed nothing more nor less than that it is discovery of the Science underlying the healing work of Jesus and of the patriarchs and prophets. Her mission in founding a church was, to quote her own words, "to commemorate the word and works of our Master, which should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing" (Church Manual, p. 17). Christian Scientists are earnestly and honestly striving to emulate the teachings and life of Christ Jesus. They make no boastful claims as to their attainments to this end, but they are humbly grateful for at least a substantial measure of success in Christian healing and in the regeneration from sin. The tremendous growth of this movement is an evidence of their good works, and "by their fruits ye shall know them." It is regrettable that any fellow religionist should speak of Christian Science as "childish and false and dangerous." Christian Scientists do not criticize or condemn their fellow religionists because they do not happen to agree with them.

In America, a land of religious freedom, where there are more than one hundred different interpretations of Christ's teachings being disseminated, it would be well for all of us to heed the Scriptural admonition, "Judge not," and also the advice of the learned Gamaliel in his defense of the early Christians, when he said, "Let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God."

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

In your issue of the 9th a contributor to your columns...

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access