In a recent issue of the Times-Dispatch a columnist...

Charles G. McAron, Committee on Publication for the State of Virginia,—Richmond

Times-Dispatch

In a recent issue of the Times-Dispatch a columnist states some of his views on Christian Science. His kindly attitude is appreciated, but there are a few points that should be corrected.

In the column, reference is made to Christian Science as a "faith-cure." The words "faith" and "science" have different meanings. Faith is defined as "a firm belief or trust in any person, thing, statement, etc.," and science as "a branch of study which is concerned with observation and classification of facts."

It is readily seen, then, that Christian Science is not a faith-cure, but, as its name implies, it is Science—Christian Science—dealing with "observation and classification of facts" concerning God and man, in accordance with the teachings of the Bible when spiritually interpreted. The statement made by your columnist that it is impossible to feel another's pain is, in its literal sense, true, and it does help the neighbor who is in pain not to talk of his aches. However, upon request, the Christian Scientist helps his neighbor to be rid of his pain through an understanding of his true being, or through the spiritual understanding that God being perfect and divine, recognizes no pain, and that man, made in the image and likeness of God, as stated in the first chapter of Genesis, therefore cannot know pain. To the degree that this fact is realized, pain can be eliminated for oneself or one's neighbor.

On page 11 of "Rudimental Divine Science" Mary Baker Eddy says: "What seem to be disease, vice, and mortality are illusions of the physical senses. These illusions are not real, but unreal. Health is the consciousness of the unreality of pain and disease; or, rather, the absolute consciousness of harmony and of nothing else."

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