One of the greatest of European statesmen, speaking of...

Frederick Dixon—Barbados, British West Indies.

Barbados Standard

One of the greatest of European statesmen, speaking of the Bourbons after the Restoration of 1815, declared that they had learned nothing, and they had forgotten nothing. The same may be said with emphasis of the sectarian critic. He recollects that for centuries it has been the portion of every orthodox church to persecute the heretic and the dissenter. He has not learned, and he is apparently incapable of learning, that the heretic and the dissenter have thriven on persecution, and that so far as their influence may have declined, it has always been when, like Jeshurun, they have in prosperity waxed fat and kicked at the heretic or dissenter of their day.

A contributor who calls himself "A Christian but not a Christian Scientist," is no exception to the rule. He poses as a Jupiter Tonans from behind the mask of anonymity. He begins by saying that Christian Science "is calculated to mislead the unlearned." It can only be said that if scholarship is a man's ballast against false religious teaching, the bulk of humanity must be in a parlous condition, a prey to the scholars of the churches. The critic appears to have overlooked the fact that the bulk of the New Testament was written by a publican, three fishermen, and a tent-maker, to say nothing of the fact that it was one of the complaints of the Epicurean Celsus that the pioneers of the culture of imperial Rome were weavers and cobblers. In modern times the story has been just the same. The history of dissent in England has been the revolt again of the cobblers and weavers against the scholars. "The Pilgrim's Progress," a book which has influenced religious thought more, perhaps, than any other except the Bible, was written, not by a bishop, but by a tinker.

The critic next explains that Christian Science teaches that Jesus' healing power was derived from God and not from himself as God, equal to the Father. He might be asked to explain, if this is so, why Jesus said, "I can of mine own self do nothing." Writing of this, a famous bishop and scholar says, "The very idea of sonship involves (in some sense) that of dependence." The comment is not important, though it is interesting. The difference of opinion is, however, one which the critic must settle with the bishop, and not with a Christian Scientist. He then goes on to explain that Christian Science teaches that "believers in God can by prayer procure the working of miracles equal to those wrought by Jesus." The statement is not very exactly put, but if Christian Scientists do, they have the authority of Jesus for it. It was he, and no other than he, who said, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."

Finally, the critic indulges himself in the sarcasm that when Christian Scientists can perform a string of works of physical healing,—some of which, be it said, they have already done,—they may talk about their wonderful healing. This particular sentence is surely a triumph of bad taste and worse logic. The taste can take care of itself, but the logic is worth examining. The critic has apparently forgotten that a few lines above he explained that Christian Science healing was effected by prayer to God; therefore he needs not be so painfully irritated because God has answered prayer. The "wonderful cures" are, on his own showing, the work not of any person, but of God. Again, is no one ever to talk of anything he cannot do perfectly? Barbados, indeed the world, is likely to become a silent place under such a dispensation. Nobody, for instance, but a senior wrangler, must open his mouth on the subject of mathematics, and it is an open question whether even he should. Nor is this all. If no one is to speak of healing unless he can heal like Jesus, then no one ought to preach who cannot preach like Jesus. There is nothing for it, apparently, but for all the churches to close their doors. Yet Jesus said, "Preach the gospel" and "Heal the sick." That is what Christian Scientists are trying to do. It seems a little hard that they should be stopped doing the little they can, because they cannot do all. It is perhaps as well that the anonymous critic is not in a position to put his logic into practise in Barbados.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit