Christ Jesus taught that God is Spirit. Christian Science accepts this teaching, and emphasizes that God as Spirit is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. Most Christians believe that God is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, infinite Spirit. Then, according to Christian teaching, it remains for the Rev. Dr.—to carry the burden of proof to its ultimate and prove that God is not omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent; that matter is real, that it is eternal, and therefore that Spirit is not infinite and ever present. If he can tell what matter is, he can do more than any philosopher or theologian who ever attempted it.

The basis of matter has by the majority of thinkers rested for years upon the speculative hypothesis of the atomic theory. That has largely given way, and a new suppositional theory of ions has been advanced. Other thinkers analyze matter as a creative force. Huxley said, "All that we know today about matter is that it is the hypothetical substance of physical phenomena." If, therefore, there is nothing more tangible in defining matter, as to its reality and entity, than the evidence of the senses, we think there is considerable food for thought in the statement in Science and Health, as found on page 124: "Spirit is the life, substance, and continuity of all things. We tread on forces. Withdraw them, and creation must collapse. Human knowledge calls them forces of matter; but divine Science declares that they belong wholly to divine Mind, are inherent in this Mind, and so restores them to their rightful home and classification."

Mrs. Eddy, the Founder of the movement, defines Christian Science as "the law of God, the law of good, interpreting and demonstrating the divine Principle and rule of universal harmony" (Rudimental Divine Science, p. 1). Thus it will be noted that she has brought forth no invention or innovation, for she could not invent a new law of God. She has named the law—the eternal law of God—"Christian," because it manifests the Christ-nature, and "Science," because being capable of proof, having unchangeable cause and effect, it fulfils all the demands of the term "science." Further, because, as Job says, God is "in one mind, and who can turn him?" the eternal law of God is also the will of God. Christian Scientists love to use this larger definition of Principle to express the unchangeable nature of God, "with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

Our critic may be fully satisfied with his key to the Christ teaching and practice, but the writer is convinced that the following excerpt from a letter of a Presbyterian missionary who spent years in the missionary work in Japan, voices the void in many a heart: "Every one of you would be interested in visiting the leper hospital—one of several in Japan. I visited it just before returning to America, and spoke to the one hundred and fifty patients who were able to assemble in the Hall of Religion—a place where Buddhists, Shintoists, and Christians have equal privileges. I have never felt so unworthy to speak to any one as to those same marred, defaced outcasts of humanity. After we came back, my young assistant said to me, 'Sensei, there is some remedy, and the healing of the lepers by Christ was his call to us to find it.'

"I can understand how the great Christ just had to put out his hand in healing touch. If he realized that all power was given unto him, what a well-spring of joy he must have had in his own spirit! I think the saddest feeling possible is to be unable to help when in the presence of suffering. But I do believe that there are great forces in the spiritual world, which would yield as marvelous results there as electricity is doing in the material world. And yet we are old fogies—doubting Thomases—and do not reach out and possess and make use of these wonderful powers. We are all like men groping with only a candle light, when all the undiscovered blaze of electric light could have been theirs for the seeking. I wonder if we are not failing—all of us—right here. We are only dimly realizing the meaning of 'all power is given unto me.' "

Christian Scientists are keenly aware that they are not always successful; but in that they see no cause to condemn the law of God or limit the power of God, nor the endeavors to heed the commands of the Wayshower to heal. They read in the Scriptures that when Jesus went back to his own country "he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief." When his students failed to heal the epileptic boy and crowds gathered to question, he said, "O, faithless and perverse generation." When his students asked why their efforts were not successful in healing the boy, he told them such cases required more preparation on their part. Christian Scientists humbly feel the rebuke when they do not succeed, and earnestly pray for more understanding. But because the student of Christian Science has not gained the understanding to reach all cases, is that sufficient reason for our critic to conclude that Christian Science lamentably fails? With the same reasoning and the same spirit of fairness, we presume he would say that Christianity fails because, while the number of conversions are often reported, it is not published how many hear the sermons and exhortations and yet are not made Christians; nor how many have said "I believe" and have backslidden.

If the minister in giving his sermon intended his hearers to believe that by Mrs. Eddy's advice Christian Scientists are to shift the responsibility in contagious diseases, and that in cases not quickly healed a regular physician be called, we must conclude either that he does not understand the advice and the practice of Christian Scientists, or that he is persenting an unjust interpretation thereof. It is true that Mrs. Eddy has advised, and that Christian Scientists are adhering to her advice in submitting to vaccination and in reporting contagious diseases when required by law; not that they wish to shift the responsibility, but that they respect the opinions of their fellow citizens in regard to these requirements. And it is to be further stated, that in obeying these requirements the Christian Scientist by no means turns his cases over to materia medica for healing, for, as a general rule, the Christian Scientist is allowed to continue his work, with the proper isolation of his patient as required by quarantine laws, until the work is finished.

Mrs. Eddy does not advise that a regular physician be called in cases which have not yielded quickly to the treatment of Christian Science. She does advise, however, that the patient shall always, and at all times, be free to exercise his choice as to what method of treatment he shall receive, and likewise be left entirely free to decide when one form of treatment shall be given up in preference to another.