Article July 18, 1936 Issue

Extracts from Reports of Christian Science Committees on Publication

The secular press continues on the whole very friendly towards Christian Science. During the year your committee observed eighteen references to Christian Science (apart from items submitted for publication by this office) in the local press. Six of these were replied to, and three of my replies were published.

It was reported to me that in June a local minister had misrepresented our religion in a radiocast sermon. On investigation this was confirmed, and, as the minister's action constituted a breach of the rules of the British Broadcasting Corporation, I reported the matter at once to Mr. Tennant, who got in touch with the British Broadcasting Company's headquarters. The affair was then inquired into officially, and a letter was later received from Broadcasting House which said in part: "It is with much regret that I have to write to tell you that the statement ... was made by ... preaching from a church in Northern Ireland. Our Northern Ireland Regional Director writes: 'He is, of course, extremely sorry that he has given any offence to Christian Scientists, and will naturally be very careful in future.' May I add our own official, but none the less sincere regret that this has happened, and I can promise that it will not occur again." The sermon also appeared in the Witness some weeks subsequently, and my reply to the misrepresentation in question was published.

One daily paper has continued the weekly publication of a selected excerpt from our Lesson-Sermon. One reprint from The Christian Science Monitor was published in a local paper, due credit being given. Three short reports of the Progress Exhibit of The Christian Science Monitor, arranged in December, 1934, by First Church of Christ, Scientist, Belfast, were published. It would be difficult to estimate the value of this constructive work—particularly the weekly publication of the extracts from our Lesson-Sermon.

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