In your esteemed paper of September 12 there appeared...

John Murray Burriss, Committee on Publication for the State of Kansas,—Larned

Tiller and Toiler

In your esteemed paper of September 12 there appeared an article by a doctor entitled "Unhappines and Pessimism a Symptom of Disease." The reference therein to Christian Science is manifestly friendly, and is appreciated from that standpoint, but the mention of Christian Science along with Couéism might impress upon the thought of your readers, unfamiliar with the facts, the belief that these two systems, at least as therapeutic agents, have, in practice, something in common. They have nothing in common.

Christian Science is an elucidation of the teaching and practice of Christ Jesus, based upon God as divine Principle, and it recognizes God as the only true healing power. On the other hand, the teachings of Dr. Coué and of all other systems of mental suggestion rest solely upon the human mind, upon the belief of mind, or intelligence, in matter. Such systems have created the popular belief that one human mind can influence and control another human mind, and thereby either benefit or harm the individual. Paul says the carnal or mortal mind "is enmity against God;" and it is clear that a system of treatment which relies entirely upon God as does Christian Science, and a system which entirely eschews God, must be wholly opposite.

The doctor writes: "My difference with such people [Christian Scientists and Dr. Coué] lies in my belief that there are definite causes for human misery and that the sound philosophy is to search for such causes and attack them." Christian Science thoroughly agrees that, mortally considered, "there are definite causes for human misery," but maintains that, primarily, they are not material. Medical science has searched matter for four thousand years to find the cause of disease, and if it continues the search for four thousand more it will be no wiser than when it started, for the cause of disease cannot be found where it does not exist.

On page 411 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy writes: "The procuring cause and foundation of all sickness is fear, ignorance, or sin;" and fear, ignorance, or sin do not originate in matter, in the human body or material things. Therefore, the cause of disease is wholly mental, and its cure is wholly a mental process. In his healing mission Jesus relied solely upon God, and accomplished his mighty works through his understanding and application of divine law, emanating from divine Mind, God. Christian Science healing is accomplished through precisely the same process, and the Christian Scientist knows and proves that "only through radical reliance on Truth can scientific healing power be realized" (ibid., p. 167). Moreover, such a process is wholly apart from any system of mental suggestion.

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