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The reported statement of an evangelist that "Mrs. Eddy...
Chambersburg (Pa.) Public Opinion
The reported statement of an evangelist that "Mrs. Eddy says there is no such thing as sin," does not place the matter fairly from the Christian Science standpoint. That sin exists as an experience of human living, that it is the forerunner and producer of untold misery and suffering, and that mortals are eagerly and in many ways looking for release from its thraldom, every Christian Scientist admits. To do otherwise would be to imitate the proverbial ostrich, which by the simple expedient of burying its head in the sand thinks to shut away all danger. The Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," puts the matter fairly thus: "The way to escape the misery of sin is to cease sinning. There is no other way. Sin is the image of the beast to be effaced by the sweat of agony" (p. 327). So much for sin as a human belief and experience.
Christian Science, however, stands firmly and immovably upon the declaration in Genesis, "God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." It declares that God is good,—perfectly, entirely, and completely good; that in Him there is and can be no evil sin, sickness, disease, distress, or calamity, and therefore that He does not send these errors upon mankind. And naturally if these errors do not come from the one and only creator, they can have at most only a theoretical, mythical, fabulous existence in mortal mistaken thought, and never have had and never can have an existence as metaphysical, eternal, unchanging fact.
These two propositions are consistent and in agreement. The world is trying to get free from the misery caused by sin. The Christian Science way is to loosen the grasp of evil by uprooting its very foundations, by gaining the metaphysical understanding which shows sin to have at most only an apparent existence, and so take away the fear which mortals have of it and its power over them. It is safe to say that the power of sin cannot be lessened through propagating the belief that it is God-sent. Such a belief operates to fasten sin more tightly upon humanity.
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September 9, 1916 issue
View Issue-
In Love with the Truth
SAMUEL GREENWOOD
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Who Are Ready?
NELLIE B. MACE
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Proofs of Divine Guidance
FREDERIC W. PLUMB
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Joy in Obeying
S. BELLE GORHAM
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Testimony Meetings
WILLIAM S. CAMPBELL
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Straight and Narrow
BLANCHE GALLOWAY
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In Peace Secure
M. ALEXANDER PITT
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In a recent issue of The Genoa Times it appears that our...
Carl E. Herring
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In a full-page article on "The Meaning of Patriotism"...
Thorwald Siegfried
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As reported in recent issues of your paper, an evangelist...
John L. Rendall
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As to whether or not Christian Science is a contradiction...
W. D. Kilpatrick
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The reported statement of an evangelist that "Mrs. Eddy...
Thomas E. Boland
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In his sermon entitled "A Painless World?" "Clericus"...
Charles M. Shaw
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Journeyings
MARGUERITE DYER PRIESMEYER
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Spurious Literature Enjoined
Editor
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The "pearl of great price"
Archibald Mclellan
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"Comfort Ye"
Annie M. Knott
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Rubbing Out the Chalk Line
William D. McCrackan
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Admission to Membership in The Mother Church
John V. Dittemore
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The Lectures
with contributions from John C. Evans, J. W. Heyward, J. A. Henry
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I consider it not only a pleasure but an honor to testify...
Richard W. O'Connell
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Many blessings and spiritual awakenings have come to us...
William D. Clark
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I feel compelled to give thanks to God for my restoration...
Miriam B. Martin
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My attention was called to Christian Science in 1905, at...
O. John Keller
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When Christian Science was first brought to my notice...
John McCamant
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Eight years ago, after having had hemorrhages of the...
Josephine Clara Scott
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Our Master has said, "If ye continue in my word, then are...
Fannie E. Calderwood
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It was over seventeen years ago that Christian Science...
Marta Kraftmeler
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While obedience is the law of the kingdom, it is of considerable...
George Macdonald
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From Our Exchanges
with contributions from Andrew Gillies, Henry Kingman