The first of the religious tenets of Christian Science is...

R. Stanhope Easterday

Indianapolis (Ind.) Star

The first of the religious tenets of Christian Science is in these words: "As adherents of Truth, we take the inspired Word of the Bible as our sufficient guide to eternal Life" (Science and Health, p. 497). Readings from the

Scriptures comprise the principal part of the Christian Science religious services. Christian Scientists are daily readers and students of the Bible, using the King James version, and the critic's assertion that Christian Scientists confine themselves to "detached portions" of the Scriptures, and that these are given irregular settings and interpretations, is in a sense amusing, and indicates, at least, that the speaker was not altogether familiar with his subject. Christian Scientists are characterized the world over as earnest Bible students.

The matter of "direct revelation," as the term is used by the gentleman in connection with Christian Science, can safely be left to the good judgment of those of our readers who care to investigate. Jesus' argument in this connection was in the significant words, "By their fruits ye shall know them." He urged, The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me." Christian Science is today healing the sick and reforming the sinner in direct compliance with our Lord's mandate, "Heal the sick," and his further promise, "These signs shall follow them that believe." When Christian Science thus heals the sick, it justifies its claim to be true "religion," and, the religion taught by our Master, it must needs heal. It should be recalled in this connection that "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights."

Our Lord healed by his theology, and his was not material theology, for he declared, "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." In addition to this he said, "The flesh profiteth nothing." That which thus conduces to life precludes the possibility of disease, and must necessarily, therfore, conduce to healing in the truest sense of the term. One recalls, too, that the apostle Paul urged in connection with his teaching, "Now is the accepted ; behold, now is the day of salvation." Christian Scientists are but honestly trying to approximate such ideals of perfection by a daily, hourly struggle to know God, "whom to know aright is Life eternal" (Science and Health, Pref., p. vii), and by a reasonable attempt at that consecration of thought and endeavor which should characterize true followers of the Nazarene in all ages.

Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, far from essaying anything new in the realm of theology or medicine, has but humbly interpreted in her book, "Science and Health with key to the Scriptures," the words and works of Jesus in a manner that has already resulted in the healing of practically every known disease and the regeneration of many from lower to high and holy ideals of living. Our critic, on the other hand, evidently doubts even the possibility of attaining such ideals, and is therefore hardly justified in essaying judgment upon those who seem to have made some progress along such lines of gratifying endeavor.

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