Article January 31, 1901 ISSUE

A Protest

Alfred Farlow

Marlboro Times

Boston, Mass., January 12, 1901.

Editor of The Times, Marlboro, Mass.

Students: Get
JSH-Online for
$5/mo

  • Every recent & archive issue

  • Podcasts & article audio

  • Mary Baker Eddy bios & audio

Subscribe

Dear Sir:—In your issue of December 27, you state, "The Christian Scientists are starting a crusade against vaccination on the ground that smallpox is an imaginary disease."

It is true that Christian Scientists have little faith in material remedies, for they have proved that Christian Science is not only a better cure, but a better preventive of disease than anything which they have heretofore employed. I know of two cases where two members of the same family were afflicted with smallpox at the same time, and one in each family died under medical treatment while the other was healed through Christian Science. I have a friend who was afflicted from childhood with a serious disorder as a result of vaccination, and who found no relief until healed through Christian Science.

This is a small per cent of that which I have observed in my experience as a Christian Scientist, and mine is doubtless a parallel with that of others of this faith. Do you wonder that Christian Scientists have little faith in vaccination? Nevertheless it should be understood that they have long ago given up any fight on this question, and have agreed to allow vaccination. Indeed, it is the advice of the Founder of this movement that Christian Scientists shall submit to the requirements of the law and depend upon the influence of the gospel to deliver them from whatever evil effects might accrue. I do not question your sincerity in speaking of the vaccination crusade as being conducted by Christian Scientists; nevertheless, they have nothing to do with any such movement. Besides, it is not the proper statement of Christian Science to say that smallpox or any other disease is imagination. Christian Science teaches that disease is a physical manifestation of the mental condition; that it is based largely upon fear, conscious or unconscious; and that for this reason it may be overcome by bringing to the consciousness of the patient sufficient realization of the divine power and presence to overrule the power and fear of disease.

The multitudes of people who have been healed through this faith are living testimonies to the fact that Christian Science correctly diagnoses disease. However, we recognize the physical appearance of disease in all its insidiousness and fatality, and that it must be dealt with accordingly. Care and discretion must be used in respect to the sick, whatever may be the constituency of disease, until the danger therefrom is past. It does not lessen the efficiency of prayers to be careful in respect to the spreading of disease, and the Christian Scientists do not recklessly rush into its presence. I have seldom known a case of contagion from the patient of a Christian Scientist, for he succeeds in destroying contagion as well as disease.

Alfred Farlow. In the Marlboro Times.

Send a comment to the editors
NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Article
A Comparison
January 31, 1901
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit