Germany (United States Zone)

In a pamphlet a Lutheran churchwarden of Munich makes mention of Christian Science and its conception of God, which he qualifies as unscriptural. The local Assistant took a letter from the Assistant Committee to this man and had a beneficial conversation with him, which led to his acceptance of The Herald of Christian Science. In a kind reply of the churchwarden to this office the differences in opinion were enumerated, but a list of conformities was also established. The concluding sentence of the letter is as follows: "In spite of this diversity, I gladly acknowledge the conformity of the Christ creed which unites us, and which induces me to return your kind regards sincerely."

Here a correspondence with a clergyman must be quoted which started in connection with a treatise in the Journal for Lutheran Ministers. In his reply to our letter he said: "I was overjoyed with your letter. ... The cause of this joy was not only the kind offer of the publications of Christian Science, but the tone of your letter. I am convinced that a conversation held in this spirit will be very fruitful for both sides. What we are in urgent need of today, also in the relations of the several Christian denominations, is above all a purgation of the poisonous atmosphere and the earnest desire to comprehend each other's motives and ways. ...

"The tendency of The Christian Science Monitor has impressed me already in former times. ... The world would progress better if the entire daily press would work up to such principles. Here was truly a pioneer deed of Mary Baker Eddy."

A gentleman charged with writing an annual publication on psychical thereapeutics asked for Christian Science literature. After having received "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, as well as other literature, he wrote after some time, "Already I must confess that the teaching not only interests me but absorbs me."

Victoria, Australia

A sermon preached in a country town implied that Mrs. Eddy was mainly influenced by the mesmeric healer, Phineas P. Quimby, and quoted the opinion of a physician that Christian Science had not healed a single case of organic disease. The Assistant Committee on Publication in the district visited the minister and left with him a copy of Everybody's magazine which recounted the healing of Fougasse, the recently appointed editor of London Punch in London. In this case several vertebrae of the spine were shot away in World War I, and the man was classified as permanently disabled. Yet he is now classified as permanently healed through the healing efficacy of Christian Science.

Colorado

On fifteen occasions this year our attention was required to correct false conceptions and statements about our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, or Christian Science. There were articles in the Rocky Mountain Medical Journal, the Colorado Episcopalian, a mimeographed newssheet of the Baptist Church in Holyoke, and a newspaper in Englewood. Corrective replies were published in two of these. Advertisements placed by a clergyman in Denver's daily newspapers required letters correcting the implication that Mrs. Eddy is the founder of churches other than the Church of Christ, Scientist.

Four personal calls upon clergymen were made, and in each case a copy of the Lyman P. Powell biography of our Leader was offered and accepted. Calls were also made upon a high school teacher and two university professors regarding incorrect statements about Christian Science. One professor, as a result of the call, not only borrowed authentic statements of Christian Science from the Committee library, but invited this Committee to address one of his classes on the subject of Christian Science. An officer of the American Cancer Society was called upon to correct false statements about Mrs. Eddy. One radio broadcast required our attention for corrective purposes.

Mrs. Eddy's reminder applies: "Rest assured that the injustice done by press and pulpit to this denomination of Christians will cease, when it no longer blesses this denomination" (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 151).

Warwickshire, England

An offer was made through the office of this Committee to a local librarian asking their acceptance of Christian Science literature in their library. The letter, of course, had to be submitted to the library council for consideration, and their decision was against its acceptance on the grounds of its being religious propaganda.

The local paper reported this meeting of the council in its weekly edition under the heading "Banned," the inference being that Christian Science literature had been banned generally by the council. To this the Committee sent a reply which was published by the editor. One of the periodicals offered was The Christian Science Monitor, which incidentally had always been on view in the local Christian Science Reading Room nearby. The librarian in charge of this Reading Room reported that as a result of the newspaper comment she had seen more people pausing to read the Monitor from the street than ever before. Our letter to the press had done its work.

Some time had elapsed when the Committee received another letter from the same council saying they had reconsidered their decision and were now willing to accept a copy of the Monitor for their rooms. They are now receiving an airborne Monitor daily direct from the Publishing Society in Boston. Incidents of this kind are encouraging.

Southern Rhodesia, Africa

The Rhodesian press has maintained an attitude of fairness towards Christian Science. During the year only two misstatements came to our attention for correction —one in Bulawayo which associated Christian Science with mesmerism, and one in Salisbury which linked it with astrology. Both arose out of book reviews, and both corrections were readily accepted and published.

Sweden

Five newspaper articles have called for corrections, of which all but one have been published. A severe attack on our Leader gave this Committee the privilege of having a very friendly interview with one editor and offering him a copy of the Powell biography, which was gladly accepted. Appropriate space for a correction was courteously offered. This incident was particularly inspiring in the opportunity it afforded to explain Christian Science.