Article October 21, 1922 Issue

The best way to determine if Christian Science teaches...

Brigman C. Odom, Committee on Publication for the State of Texas,

El Paso Times

The best way to determine if Christian Science teaches that Christ Jesus was a good man and nothing more, is to examine the Bible and the written works of Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science. Upon these authorities concerning God and the universe, and Jesus and the Christ, all Christian Scientists everywhere base their views. It will be seen that Christian Science teaches that Christ Jesus was more than merely a good man. On page 29 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mrs. Eddy says: "The Virgin-mother conceived this idea of God, and gave to her ideal the name of Jesus—that is, Joshua, or Saviour. The illumination of Mary's spiritual sense put to silence material law and its order of generation, and brought forth her child by the revelation of Truth." Again, on the same page, "Jesus was the offspring of Mary's self-conscious communion with God." This, moreover, is in exact accord with the teachings of the Bible. In the first chapter of Matthew (Revised Version) it is stated that "when his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit." This is also in exact accordance with the words of the prophet Isaiah, who said, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." These passages should be sufficient to convince any one that the Christian Science idea of Christ Jesus and the Bible account of his nature coincide; and they both teach Jesus the Christ to be more than merely a good man.

Both the Bible and Mrs. Eddy teach that Christ Jesus was not a medium or a psychic. Nowhere in the Bible or in Mrs. Eddy's works can be found authority for believing that Jesus ever practiced spiritualism. Spiritualism has to do with what is believed to be communication between the living and the so-called dead. The logic of Christian Science, as given in Mrs. Eddy's works and in all true Christian Science literature, completely refutes the charge that Jesus was a psychic or a medium. Jesus was an ambassador of God to living men, and not a messenger between those who live and the suppositional class of persons called the dead. Mrs. Eddy, who understood Jesus and the Christ better than any other individual in modern times, wrote a chapter in Science and Health entitled "Christian Science versus Spiritualism." If Jesus had believed in spiritualism, Mrs. Eddy certainly would not have disbelieved in it.

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