Article September 13, 1941 Issue

In a recent edition you published an article on Christian Science...

Eduard Kreil-Maeder,—Berne (translation)

Die Nation,

In a recent edition you published an article on Christian Science and its Discoverer and Founder, Mary Baker Eddy.

The author says that in his report on the life of Mary Baker Eddy he relies on Stefan Zweig. The latter, however, according to his own statement, has used as source the book of Georgine Milmine, which the ecclesiastical historian Professor Karl Holl, who is not a Christian Scientist, described as "a collection of impeachments." Professor Holl said also that "in spite of all the attestations given, most of it is immediately recognizable as idle talk or slander" (Journal for the Whole Science of Penal Law, Berlin, Vol. 37, No. 5). It is comprehensible, therefore, that with such a source the biography by Stefan Zweig could do justice neither to Mary Baker Eddy nor to her teachings. On the other hand, a pastor of the Episcopal Church in New York, Dr. Lyman P. Powell, has published a book on the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science. This book was published also, in 1933, in German, by Georg Kallmeyer, Berlin, and gives a quite different impression from that of Stefan Zweig. Dr. Powell collected his materials during many years and had access to many unpublished letters and other documents by Mrs. Eddy.

It is not correct to say that mass suggestion is employed in the Christian Science church services or testimony meetings. On the contrary, Christian Science exposes the error of mesmerism, hypnotism, and mental suggestion, through which one person tries to influence another and impose upon him his will. Mrs. Eddy writes in her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 144): "Human will power is not Science. Human will belongs to the so-called material senses, and its use is to be condemned. Willing the sick to recover is not the metaphysical practice of Christian Science, but is sheer animal magnetism." The primary aim of Christian Science is the healing of sin and the reformation of character.