A late issue of your paper reports that Doctor—has assailed Christian Science. A perusal of the article published shows, however, that he was not really attacking Christian Science, but only belaboring his own ludicrous concepts of the subject. This will readily indicate why the Christian Scientists who were present "seemed to enjoy the lecture immensely," as reported. Christian Scientists occasionally show a predilection for the amusing.

Knowing the progress that Christian Science has made in the face of every possible adverse criticism launched against it from the pulpit in the past, and the profound respect in which it is now held by the most intelligent in the land, Christian Scientists certainly could not have feared the effects of remarks so evidently misrepresenting their religion. Perhaps they even felt grateful for the interest such remarks would create, and so lead to an unbiased investigation of a religion which "destroys" nothing good, but proves "every fundamental doctrine of Christianity," and thus honors the Christ by its works. The writer was happily brought to Christian Science, and consequently enjoys its saving influence, through literature denouncing it, which created in him a desire to know the truth about it. No resentment, therefore, is felt toward the unintentional instrument that led to such results; but Christian Scientists should be, and usually are, accorded the privilege of correcting erroneous presentations of their faith to the public, and should also be "ready always to give an answer to every man" and "a reason of the hope" that is in them. They have no desire to attack any man or his religion, and certainly do not consider physicians and surgeons as enemies of the race, as alleged.

Mrs. Eddy says on page 151 of the text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures": "Great respect is due the motives and philanthropy of the higher class of physicians. We know that if they understood the Science of Mind-healing, and were in possession of the enlarged power it confers to benefit the race physically and spiritually, they would rejoice with us." While not approving their methods, she does not question their good motives. The reverend gentleman finds fault with Christian Science because it is claimed that its text-book is a "Key to the Scriptures." Even so Christian Scientists find it to be, and the joy and comfort they derive from the Holy Scriptures by its use no man taketh from them. Again, he makes the surprising charge and criticism that students of Christian Science "return to the study of the Bible," and states that this is "one of the marks of these false religious movements." Christian Science creates an interest in the Bible, because it reveals a wealth of spiritual truth therein and gives an understanding by which to apply the truths in Christian warfare.

The gentleman states that "healing is taught in the Bible, but the church has dropped it," and then without attempting to do these good works himself, attacks Christian Scientists for doing that which he admits should be done. What he expects to gain from his attitude is not apparent. The Christian Science organization of defense against attacks upon it, also comes under the observation of this gentleman, and he rather commends it for its zeal. It may be said that its activity is directed toward good purposes and mainly toward the correction of misleading statements given out to those who are entitled to know the truth about it, and who are seeking for that present salvation from sin and disease which Christian Science gives.

The threadbare question of matter as substance is also brought up in this discourse, according to the article published, and the gentleman endeavors to ridicule Mrs. Eddy's statement that a stone "is a small manifestation of Mind." Our critic has made the mistake of separating this statement from its context. Mrs. Eddy says, "To unerring spiritual sense, it [a stone] is a small manifestation of Mind, a type of spiritual substance, 'the substance of things hoped for'" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 27). Spirit being God, omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, it must therefore be the only real substance. Matter being non-intelligent, and therefore contrary to Spirit, cannot be substance. The world is being daily and hourly enriched by the priceless discovery, made by Mrs. Eddy, of this unalterable fact, that materiality, in which humanity buried its hopes for ages, is the stone which must be rolled away from the mental sepulcher in order that the risen Christ, or Truth, may appear in the hearts and minds of men. The book of Job, and other portions of the Bible, clearly imply that this material world is a shadow.

To the gentleman's statement that Mrs. Eddy taught that the Christ was hiding in the sepulcher and not dead, we have to say that the Christ is only hidden to those who bury their faith and intelligence in unintelligent matter. The Christ was never hidden anywhere, nor at any time, except in the unenlightened human concepts called matter, the shadows cast by belief in a supposititious material substance, the darkness that comprehended not the light. Christian Science no more teaches that a fleshly hand is an idea, as claimed by the gentleman, than it asserts that the "arm of the Lord" is flesh. The latter is a compound idea which includes within it all right ideas of power. Neither does it teach that an idea has a headache; it does explain, however (Science and Health, p. 591), that man, "the compound idea of infinite Spirit; the spiritual image and likeness of God; the full representation of Mind," is never sick, in the same sense that there can be no mathematical error, because a mistake in numbers is not mathematical and is no part of mathematics. The science of numbers is never affected by a mistake; and sickness, sin, and death never affect the spiritual man of God's creation, the hairs of whose head are all numbered by the Father, and "shall not fall." The material physical body, born of flesh, which profits nothing, is not that man. Neither are the five physical senses of the so-called bodily man, whose knowledge is limited to matter, the avenues through which Mrs. Eddy discovered Christian Science, as the gentleman alleges. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned. "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

The gentleman is incorrect in quoting from Mrs. Eddy's writings to the effect that the Virgin Mary did not give birth to the child Jesus, but it may be truthfully said that Christ is not physical; the Christ, to whom Jesus referred when he said, "Before Abraham was, I am," was not born of Mary, but of God. On page 473 of the text-book Mrs. Eddy says: "Christ is the ideal Truth, that comes to heal sickness and sin . . . and attributes all power to God. Jesus is the name of the man who, more than all other men, has presented Christ, the true idea of God." On page 332 she says, "Jesus was born of Mary," and on the following page: "The word Christ is not properly a synonym for Jesus, through it is commonly so used. . . . Christ is not a name so much as the divine title of Jesus. Christ expresses God's spiritual, eternal nature. The name is synonymous with Messiah, and alludes to the spirituality which is taught, illustrated, and demonstrated in the life of which Christ Jesus was the embodiment."

The gentleman's discussion that Christian Scientists teach "that Jesus was his own devil, and that the only devil that tempted Christ was himself," is not found in any Christian Science literature and is too absurd for comment. Mrs. Eddy does not deny, as alleged, the personality of "God, the Son, and the Holy Ghost," unless the term personality is used in a finite sense. She says: "If the term personality, as applied to God, means infinite personality, then God is infinite Person,—in the sense of infinite personality, but not in the lower sense. An infinite Mind in a finite form is an absolute impossibility" (Science and Health, p. 116).

Mrs. Eddy does not deny the reality of prayer, as contended, neither does she say in any of her writings that prayer to God is a hindrance. The chapter on Prayer in her text-book will convince any fair-minded reader of her faith in the efficacy of true prayer to overcome every evil that besets mankind. Through the understanding of prayer as taught in Christian Science, the sick are healed, the sinning reformed, and the sorrowing comforted. The study of Christian Science preeminently avails to overcome immoral tendencies. It is a refiner of character, and creates a natural desire for reading the Scriptures and gaining an understanding of spiritual truth in its application to human problems. If these good works offend evangelists, then "woe unto the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come."