The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-06
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE.
The --latest Absurdity Emanating from Meta
physical Circles in Boston.

BosToN. May 5.-The Baptist ministers got
into a stew over Boston's favorite craze, the
mind cure, last week. To-day the Congrega-
tonal ministers took their turn at the subject
at their regular weekly meeting. By special in
vitation Prof. Stacey Fowler read paper on the
subject, in which he admirably summarized the
belief of the supporters Of the system. Mr..
Fowler prefaced his paper by remarking that his
ideas and knowledge of christian Science were
the results of his own observations and thinking
and were not gathered from books or works of
| other gentlemen. In commencement, the speaker
alluded to Burkes remark that life might be d.
vided into fits or mania In describing his own
itful experience, said Professor Fowler, Burke
well voiced the sentiments Of humanity. There
is much mania in this life for all that is new.
People largely try new things, and they are
easily beguiled by humhugs and charlatans.
ms Is not surprising. Neither is it untrue
After few such preliminary remarks, the
speaker proceeded to a direct discussion of his
SUBJECT. II recognize" said Professor Fowler
the strong hold Christian science, or the mind
cure, has taken in this community. My atten.
ton was called to it by friends whom / first re-
fused to listen to, and whom later character
| lied as eccentric beings Subsequently, howev-
| er, noticed that literary people began to take
| stock in it. Some of my acquaintance began to
inform me that they were benefited by, it,. l
called on Mrs. Eddy, who is supposed to be the
original founder of Christian Science In con-
| versation with her. learned that she had once
been member of the CongregationalistC Church.
Some time ago she was taken ILL., and placed her
| self under the care of physicians of various
schools, but the M. d. s offered her no relief and
she at last called upon God to cure her, and she
| claims the Almighty did cure her. The belief
| / learned" continued Mr.. Fowler, "begins in
| GOO and ends in God God the scientists be-
| lieye, is a principle not person He is the
only mind in the universe. His is the all. Man
| has what Mrs Eddy calls the mortal mind
which is the direct opposite Of Gods The mortal
| mind is only a belief that man has generated in
| himself. With this mortal mind he thinks that
| he is sick, but he is in error Matter, thinks
| Mrs Eddy, cannot suffer; the mortal mind alone
| suffers. The body never suffers from cold, or
| heat, or disease. It is the mind imagines this
| suffering and which does suffer. Mrs. Eddy has
been characterized as pantheist. There are
elements of pantheism in her works, perhaps
| but her ideas are free from all such elements.
| Mrs. Eddy denies the existence of spirtualism,
| and she calls it halucinaton. She re-
pudiates the reality of mesmerism. Christian
science, she says. Is entirely different from
| the So called faith cure The healer begins
by arguing. the case silently and then
audibly, telling the patient that the disease
| only exists in imagination and is not real. If
that there is no cancer; that it is only in1amma
| ton of the flesh. Then the mind of the patient
! is swiftly swerved off the subject and brought
! to bear on God. The principle is to bring the
mind out of matter into spirit, out of thought
| into knowledge, and to bring God bv tremen
| dous swoop Of thought down to the mind of the
| patient to crush the deluson.
"The question is is this science? With all
| respect for the personal character of Mrs. Eddy
I must say that it is the most unscientifc thing
that have ever had any knowledge of. Mrs
| Eddy is visionary, not scientific; while there are
| elements of Christianity in her system, it is
nonsenscal to call it Christian science People
examine into it and add little to it account of
the heralded reports of fabulous cures. There
are, in fact many persons who enter into
| it whose trouble really exists in their
minds, Do these scientists really heall l
have not seen case" said Professor Fowler,
| that l should call healing DR.. Gordon
thinks that they do heal, and then turns around
| and SCOTS at the scientists idea as heresy. If
| they do heal, the people would not stop at a
| question of theology, but would flock to them.
| If they heal they will carry the day, and they
ought'to. AS healers they place themselves on
| the same plane the great healer, Jesus Christ
| They act individually, as Christ himself acted
| But Christ healed broken bones and structural
| arrangements, and cured the blind Let them
heal one blind man and they will establish their
| claim. We must see evidence clear and palpa-
BILE. do not deny that they have some infu-
ence on the sick. Physicians of all schools have
some eIfecC DuC Cney only ala nature III a
| mans finger is cut physician dresses it, but
nature heals it. Then, too. the higher life of
| the mind has, we must confess, a great infu-
ence over the body. / see indications that
| this science is going to pieces. Mrs. Eddy
charges theaters with the crime of mental
malpractice. There are spiritual quacks
among the Christian scientists. The mesmer-
lists, the clairvoyants, and such persons are be-
ginning to struggle with this service for pecun-
airy gain. In fact, Christian science is becoming
a moneymaking matter. Prof. Fowler here read
| letter to the Womans Journal, written by Miss
Louise M. Alcott, who denounced Christian
science as a sham. The system is nothing but a
sham, and cannot stand the test of practical life
| In conclusion, allow me to advise you to first be
| Christian toward these people. Do not assal
them. Do not 60 about with your arms akimbo
| and stick your elbows in their sides. Some of
| them are not in fit mental condition to be
| reasoned with. Kindness will, in this case, do
more than any amount Of elimination
| Secondly said the speaker, believe the good you
| find in their so-called science l am confident
| there is some good in it, very little to be sure
| At the conclusion of his address Prof. Fowler
was we'll applauded. Discussions followed by
Rev c. N. Rice of Danvers, and others. The
Methodist ministers will probably discuss the
| same question at their meeting three weeks
hence. Meanwhile all Boston is agtated over
the system.
An Insane Mother Kills Her Babe.