There is nothing farther from true Christian Science...

CHARLES K. SKINNER

Michigan Christian Herald

There is nothing farther from true Christian Science teaching or practice than "the emotional." It would be as reasonable to say of the student of mathematics that emotion produces in his mind the requisite understanding and application of its basic law, and thus enables him to obtain right results. Christian Science is built upon the Word of God and the teaching and work of Christ Jesus.

If to "ignore the scientific, intellectual, and material side of man" means that we do not give it any power to rule our life, to make us sick or discordant, this is true in so far as we are able to go. On the other hand, Christian Scientists do recognize the physical world with its beauty and grandeur as the only expression the material senses are capable of perceiving, but they see in it only an imperfect concept of the true spiritual creation of which the apostle speaks thus: "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." Christian Scientists admit with sorrow that sin and disease do exist to this same mortal sense, but know that they are not real to God or to the true man, for God did not create them. "God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good."

The great trouble with your correspondent is that he attempts to compare his material reckonings with the spiritual facts; and, because they disagree, he immediately repudiates the claims of Spirit. As well might he attempt to mix oil and water as to adjust spiritual laws to material calculations. For centuries mankind has been delving in materiality and been subject to its supposed laws. How much has been accomplished towards the realization of man's birthright: Dominion over all? Simply nothing.

To state that suggestion of any nature enters into Christian Science is to claim the very opposite of its teachings, as any careful reader of the text-book can prove for himself. Christian Scientists claim to have reached only a modest understanding of the Science of Life, but they are quite willing to compare results, case by case, with the drug system. The following statistics are applicable to every locality:—

"A recent investigation in the State of Texas, as well as in the State of Maine, showed that seventy per cent of those who had applied to Christian Science during the past year had already failed to recover or to receive permanent benefit through medical treatment, and that ninety per cent of these were either healed or permanently benefited through Christian Science treatment. Now, since seventy per cent of those who have applied to Christian Science had already exhausted their hope in material remedies, no complaint ought to be made if a few of them still continued their downward course after taking up Christian Science. To be consistent your correspondent should chastise the medical fraternity for their failures to cure the sick who in desperation have fled to Christian Science."

It has been said that Christian Science is not Christian. If reforming the drunkard, cleansing the immoral thought, destroying hate, malice, and dishonesty, uplifting the sorrow-laden, and healing the sick are not the works that Jesus indicated as the signs of a Christian, what are they? Christian Science is doing all these things.

CHARLES K. SKINNER.
Michigan Christian Herald.

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