Article April 6, 1929 Issue

It would be difficult to imagine a more complete misapprehension...

Edgar McLeod, Committee on Publication for Northern California,—San Francisco

Serbian Herald

It would be difficult to imagine a more complete misapprehension of Christian Science than was given in the articles which appeared in your recent issues. In fact, these articles were comprised almost wholly of mythical statements, misleading inferences, and erroneous conclusions. Furthermore, the articles contained detached fragments of the teachings of Christian Science, garbled and distorted in such a manner as completely to pervert their meaning. This method of criticism would make even the teaching of the great Master appear contradictory and inconsistent. The critic's remarks show conclusively that whatever investigation he has made of Christian Science has not been for the purpose of ascertaining and stating the facts, but rather for the purpose of adverse criticism and condemnation. Therefore, instead of telling of the thousands of men and women throughout the world who have been restored to health and usefulness through Christian Science, he has cited a few alleged failures. A sample of these citations is his statement that Mrs. Eddy's "only son died of an incurable disease." But her son never lived with her after early infancy. He was reared by a family who knew nothing of Christian Science. He was never interested in Christian Science; and, so far as is known, never resorted to it for healing. He belonged to the Grand Army of the Republic, survived his mother several years, and was over three score and ten at the time of his passing on.

The critic's remarks throughout betray a failure to distinguish between material facts and absolute Truth—a failure which indicates that he has not grasped the significance of Paul's statement that "the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." This lack upon the part of the critic debars him from intelligently discussing divine metaphysics. It also accounts for his misconception regarding the attitude of Christian Science towards the so-called material sciences, and towards various phenomena cognized by the physical senses. Christian Science does not teach that chemistry, physics, and other useful sciences are superfluous and unnecessary because they relate to temporal, material conditions. In fact, Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 195), refers to the study of certain of these sciences as a means of promoting "the growth of mortal mind out of itself, out of all that is mortal."

The Master made a clear distinction between "the meat which perisheth" and "that meat which endureth unto everlasting life." Failure to distinguish between that which is apparent and that which is real and eternal has caused the critic to remark somewhat sarcastically that "the most interesting philosophy in this religion [Christian Science] is the constant denial of the existence of things that were apparent from time immemorial;" that is, "matter, evil, sin, crime, sickness, death, etc."

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