The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-18

The Master teaches us that the truth Will
cure all manner OF diseases: He healed sick
ness In all Its forms-fever, blindness. palsy.
leprosy. CHRIsT's cures were not gradual;
they were instantaneous. Christian Science
claims to heal as the Master healed; 1t is
the same truth that the Master taught. to
go out into the world and preach the Gospel
and heal the sick: 1t is upon that platform
that the Christian Science works and no
other" II this means anything. 1t means
obviously that this so-called science Is
founded absolutely on miracle and rejects
wholly the relations OF cause and effect.
which alone are recognized by either SCI
ence or common sense. The influence OF
mind upon matter. hypnotic suggestion. the
personality Of the physician. and even care
full dietary. are all equally rejected by the
Christian Scientists as essential or opera
tive. although deemed by modern physi-
clans to be In many cases no less effloacious
than the drugs which used to be their sole
reliance: and although 1t Is only by the ac-
cidental existence Of one or other OF these
agencies that any cure claimed to be due to
Christian Science Is nationally applicable.
In the light then. OF this declaration. Chris
tian Science must be regarded as out OF all
relation to the facts OF experience. and
quite as Intellectual for good as the admins
tration Of bread pills. less useful. indeed.
than bread pills. when as In the San Ber-
nardino case the patient is insensible and
incapable Of faith or hope.
In New York. fortunately. a practitioner
who without authorization should insist on
treating sick person 30 irrationally, would
not be held guiltless Of the natural result.
but according to the Oakland Tribune 1t Is
otherwise in California. 1.-The jury" 1t
says in q serious leader. acquitted the de-
PENDANT as always happens In such cases;
and the most remarkable thing about the
case is that It should have been thought
worth while to prosecute. This Is one Of
the offences OF which juries will not take
cognizance. and yet it is an offence Of a Pc
culiarly disagreeable sort that mountebanks
should profess to sell divine power for
money" The reasoning OF our esteemed
contemporary here Is perhaps. a little hard
to follow. 1t is not so clear to jewellers In
the unmiraculous and prosaic regions OF
normal experience where divine power be-
gins and where it ends or why any person
possessing unusual knowledge or ability
should not be at liberty to obtain money by
the use of it. But that Callfornians should
see in this case only disagreeable method
Of money making. from quasi-theological
point OF view. is decidedly curious. 1t Is
still moro disagreeable that II poor wretch
fall sick In San Bernardino he may be
guarded by dragoness OF Christian Sci
enlist from the attendance Of physicians
and from the society Of his friends
and relations until death ends his suffer-
ings. while no Jury will consent to tho pun
ishment Of those who did him to death. and
the only comment the most intelligent
neighbors will venture upon his fate will be
that 1t Is disagreeable that mountebanks
should profess to sell divine power for
money. That. perhaps. is disagreeable. but
the possibility Of unnecessary death in
such conditions is infinitely more dis agree
able. is indeed crime against society.