Christian Science Committee on Publication for Warwickshire, England, Reports

Newspaper contacts continue on a friendly basis. Two editors have shown further interest in The Christian Science Monitor, and have mentioned the awards the paper has received for its high standard and quality.

One editor ran a series under the title "Religion and the Man in the Street." This was comprised of letters or statements by representatives of various denominations. Most of these statements seemed to overlook the caption under which they appeared, and developed into a series of challenges to debates or doctrinal arguments. When approached by the editor, this Committee explained that our movement does not enter into theological or doctrinal arguments, which do not help the "man in the street," but that students of Christian Science know God as infinite, unchanging Love, which was the import of the Master's statement in Matthew, "For he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." The editor said he felt this would help him to frame the statement he would write closing the series.

A reference appeared in this paper giving the title of a sermon that a suburban clergyman had preached on Christian Science. This permitted a written reply, which this office submitted to the editor, who included it in the week's issue.

Lesson-Sermon excerpts continue to be published by four newspapers in the county. We are grateful that these papers give space for these items, and hope to extend the list of newspapers publishing these brief statements.

A popular preacher profusely advertised a series of sermons which he intended to give against other teachings. The last, because the most important subject, he stated, would be Christian Science. This office offered to supply him with books and information to aid him in gaining a correct interpretation of his subject, but the reply stated he had all the information required. This information, however, was drawn from an unauthorized and misleading publication. In prayerfully considering the event this Committee recalled Mrs. Eddy's words in our textbook, Science and Health (p. 60), 'Soul has infinite resources with which to bless mankind, and happiness would be more readily attained and would be more secure in our keeping, if sought in Soul."It was seen that the divine "infinite resources" would provide an answer to the problem.

Following the sermon a discussion meeting was held, and the minister invited any Christian Scientists to defend themselves, although he had already been informed that students of Christian Science did not attack other religions or defend themselves in the manner he wished. However, the "infinite resources" of Truth had provided four members of the minister's church to confound the statements made from the pulpit. One man gave a detailed statement concerning a healing, through one Christian Science treatment, of his daughter, now a grown woman, whom three doctors had declared could not live. This parent gave the names of doctors and Christian Science practitioner, and was most convincing. Two other speakers gave evidence of other healings through Christian Science, and the last speaker was a trustee of the vicar's church. This trustee deeply regretted the sermon given by the vicar, and said he knew students of Christian Science and admired them, and asked that a greater expression of kindliness, charity, and other Christian virtues be expressed within his church in the future.

A few days later your Committee met the minister, who then accepted the loan of a copy of Lyman Powell's book on the life of our Leader, and closed the interview with this remark: "It will be a very long time, if ever, before I again speak about Christian Science, but if I do consider doing so I promise to ask for information from your office before so doing." Your Committee feels this experience demonstrated anew the wisdom of the Manual instructions.

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