There has been of late such an onslaught upon Christian Science on the part of many members of the Orthodox clergy, that if we were disposed to answer them all we should not be able to do so for want of time and space. We do not care, as a rule, to notice them. Occasionally, however, there comes to us one of so extraordinary a character that we feel called upon to pay some attention to it. Such an one is the sermon recently preached by the Rev. W. A. Bartlett, of Bristol, N. H., as it comes to us, by editorial comment, in the Bristol (N. H.) Enterprise of a recent date.

Inasmuch as the editorial assumes to quote literally from the sermon, we take it for granted that it is a correct quotation, so far as it goes.

We will notice the latter part of the quotation first. Referring to Christian Science it has this to say, presumably of the Rev. Mary Baker Eddy:—

"The woman who stands at the head of this movement, permits herself to be worshiped as a deity, and within a few days has accepted the title of Christ."

What authority the reverend gentleman had for making this assertion does not appear. The same silly slander has recently been repeated in other Orthodox pulpits.

The Rev. Mary Baker Eddy and all the adherents of her teaching, can better afford to be the objects of such malicious attacks, than can those proclaiming them afford to be the authors or repeaters thereof. We believe it to be in strict accord with the teaching of Scripture and with divine law, that every falsehood uttered will sooner or later, and in some form, revert upon the author and utterer of the same.

We notice this utterance of the Rev. Mr. Bartlett, not for any personal reasons, but for the purpose of protecting those who may be innocently misled and deceived by such falsehoods. It is not our province to undertake to control unruly and slanderous tongues. Fortunately, there is a higher law, a higher power in control.

By way of refutation of this falsehood, wherever, whenever, and by whomsoever uttered, we herewith republish a letter written by Mrs. Eddy to the New York World, and published in that newspaper, February 1, 1895. It is as follows:—

Concord, N. H., Feb. 1, 1895.

A dispatch is given to me, calling for an interview to answer for myself, Am I the second Christ?

Even the question shocks me. What I am is for God to declare in his infinite mercy. As it is, I claim nothing more than what I am, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, and the blessing it has been to mankind which eternity enfolds.

My books and teachings maintain but one conclusion and statement of the Christ and the deification of mortals.

Christ is individual, and one with God, in the sense of divine Principle and its compound divine idea.

There never was, is not now, and never can be, but one God, one Christ, one Jesus of Nazareth. Whoever in any age expresses most of the spirit of Truth and Love, the Principle of God's Idea, has most of the spirit of Christ, of that Mind which was in Christ Jesus.

If Christian Scientists find in my writings, teachings, and example a greater degree of this spirit than in others, they can justly declare it. But to think or speak of me in any manner as a Christ is sacrilegious. Such a statement would not only be false, but the absolute antipode of Christian Science, and would savor more of heathenism than of my doctrines.

MARY BAKER EDDY.

Mrs. Eddy has never in the slightest degree unsaid a single word of the above.

In her book entitled "Miscellaneous Writings," which has taken its place among her standard works, Mrs. Eddy thus speaks of the worship of personality:—

"Christian Scientists should beware of unseen snares, and adhere to the divine Principle and rules for demonstration. They must guard against the deification of finite personality. Every human thought must turn instinctively to the divine Mind as its sole centre and Intelligence. Until this be done, man will never be found harmonious and immortal.

"Whosoever looks to me personally for his health or holiness, mistakes. He that by reason of human love or of hatred or any other cause clings to my material personality, greatly errs, stops his own progress, and loses the path to health, happiness, and heaven. The Scriptures and Christian Science reveal the Way, and personal revelators will take their proper place in history, but will not be deified." (P. 307, 29th ed.)

Repeatedly in her other writings Mrs. Eddy has refuted such assertions as those uttered by Mr. Bartlett. It is to be hoped that those assuming to be preachers of truth and righteousness and justice and love, will some time learn better to discharge their sacred duties than to stand in their pulpits and malign a lovely Christian woman, who is devoting her whole life to the upbuilding of the Christianity taught and practised by Jesus of Nazareth, and whose whole purpose is to do, and teach others to do, the works that he did. These works he taught should be done through future revelation in even greater measure than he had done them.

There are many thousands of intelligent, thinking, earnest, Christian people who are as absolutely convinced that the revelation which Jesus prophesied has come to this age through the ministrations of the Rev. Mary Baker Eddy, as they believe in the verity of the universe. This conviction comes from their own inner consciousness, from the fact that in their own experience they have been enabled in part to prove the truth of her teaching and ministrations. They have evidence that can never be taken from them nor removed their consciousness. It is as conclusive in their experience as is the fact that they themselves exist, and they are deeply and sacredly in earnest in their views and in their works.

We notice just one other point in this sermon. The reverend gentleman says,—

"If these healers claim to have power direct from Almighty God, they must be able to cure every time, or they will be pronounced frauds."

This is a bold statement. Suppose Christian Scientists were to retaliate in kind, and say to the gentlemen of the pulpit, "If these preachers claim to have power direct from Almighty God to save sinners, they must be able to save the sinner every time, or they will be pronounced frauds." What answer would they be able to make? How many sinners in their experience have they labored with to convert, who have not responded to their efforts? What percentage do they succeed in converting? And yet they claim their authority, do they not, from Almighty God? Is there not as much reason and justice in submitting this query to the clergy, as is embraced in the pulpit query above quoted?

The truth is, that if it were not for the bitter and unreasoning opposition of those who misunderstand and misinterpret the teachings and mission of Christian Science, the percentage of failure to heal cases of disease would be vastly less than it now is. In view of the prevailing opposition the percentage of success is marvelously great, especially when we consider the fact,—of which we so often have occasion to remind the outside world,—that the great majority of cases coming under the ministrations of Christian Scientists have been pronounced hopeless by the so-called regular curers of sickness.

It is not a pleasure, but a pain, to us, thus to hold the Rev. Mr. Bartlett as a falsifier before the many thousands of people who will read this article. The duty is laid upon us by his own folly. He lives almost a neighbor to Mrs. Eddy, and could, at little pains, have ascertained the truth of this matter. He preferred rather to stand in his pulpit and give out the falsehood as a solemn truth. How long can these members of the clergy expect the people to repose confidence in their word in face of such exhibitions?