A Word for Christian Science

Sue H. Mims

Atlanta Journal

There seems to be a strange misconception as to the teaching of Christian Science. There is a confusion of though in classifying the so-called "New Thought" with Christian Science. Both do indeed recognize that the time has come when all Christianity and all enlightened thought must recognize a spiritual, unerring law governing man and the universe. That law, according to St. Paul, is the "law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" which "hath made me free from the law of sin and death."

One can no more legislate against, nor hinder the spiritual growth of man to a higher conception of Christian life and its divine power to heal and save, than he can legislate or hinder the development of electricity as it yields more and more its subtle force to the uses and dominion of man.

Christian Science does not say that "God is all, and evil is unreal," and then leave the question there.

Evil is real to the human sense, but as it is not and cannot be an element or part of the divine consciousness, or Christ-mind, we are assured that we can overcome and destroy it. It is not a part of the divine plan, and is therefore defined by St. John as "lawlessness"—something outside of the divine law, therefore unreal to the divine or spiritual sense. Jesus defined it as a lie, liar, and father of lies. I suppose that no persons in the world have so acute a sense of sin as the Christian Scientist, and no church has so strict a code of morals, so rigidly enforced. These misapprehensions of what Christian Science teaches should be corrected conscientiously, then these denunciations of Christian Science would cease. I feel sure that it is all due to this misunderstanding.

Christian Science heals by destroying sin, recognizing it as an element of the human mind to be destroyed by the Christ mind. Paul said: Let us have the mind that was in Christ, "Now are we the sons of God," is St. John's recognition of the Science of Being. It is true that many of the learned and gifted in this and other lands are converts to this glorious Truth, but generally it is not the wealthy or self-indulgent classes, for it is a religion requiring the most rigid self-denial. One must be out of self to do the works.

Our Atlanta church is not made up of a wealthy or fashionable class, yet it is free from debt of any kind, and daily gives proof of its divine origin by doing the works required by the Master as proofs of discipleship.

"Shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."

One has truly said that this new religion is born of a woman. Mary Baker Eddy did discern the ever-present operation of this spiritual law, the same yesterday, to-day, and forever, as the Science of Christianity. Its results have been a million people redeemed from hopeless invalidism, or the law of sin and disease; agnostics and infidels made devout Christians, drunkards reclaimed, the Bible become the daily chart of a divine life, thousands regenerated, the power of Christ demonstrated as a redeeming power as in primitive Christianity. A discriminating public can decide if this be the power of good or evil.

"By their fruits ye shall know them." Jesus said, and Jesus is the exemplar, the ideal held constantly in the mind of Christian Scientists.

Sue H. Mims.
In the Atlanta Journal.

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