Editorial September 9, 1944 Issue

The Revelator and Her Revelation

John Randall Dunn

Let us suppose that a schoolteacher finds herself in a backward community among sadly ignorant people. Without doubt she will be able in time, by example and precept, to banish some of the prevalent mental darkness. It is also reasonable to suppose that after a while many of her beneficiaries will manifest great love for her and gratitude for her labors. What would be difficult to picture would be another group refusing to study with her, advancing as their reason the notion that her students expressed too much love for and appreciation of the teacher!

Strangely enough this very argument is raised, again and again, by many people who sadly need the joyous, health-bringing message of Christian Science. The stock objections are that Christian Scientists give undue praise to the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, and that her name is mentioned too frequently at the Sunday services and with too much affection at the Wednesday meetings in our churches. Some unfortunately biased individuals even recur to the antiquated cavil that Christian Scientists worship their Leader. Let us examine, fairly and dispassionately, these stumbling blocks which ignorant or malicious mortal mind would place in the path of the seeker after a demonstrable truth.

When I first became interested in Christian Science, I announced to a friend that I was eager to attend a church service of this denomination. The friend replied that she was a Christian Scientist, but was not a follower of Mrs. Eddy. I did not know what she meant by that, but accepted her invitation to attend a meeting with her. We went to a house where were gathered a few earnest people. During the meeting I listened expectantly for some message about Christian Science, but did not hear the name mentioned. Shortly thereafter I recounted this experience in a letter to my mother, and stated that very evidently Christian Science did not have much of a following in this city. Promptly came a reply from my mother. She had heard of a thriving Christian Science church in that field, and felt that I had not been rightly led.

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