The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-03

n ueclslOn tnht nhturdlly cfedtcs fuucn
interest was rendered in a New York
court the other day. The issue was rela-
tive to the eligibility for guardianship OF
q certain individual. The decision given
was that this person should not be al
lowed to act as guardian, because the fact
OF his believing in Christian Science
stamped him as mentally unbalanced,
hence unfit to take charge Of the educa-
tion and property OF minors. This believ-
er in Christian Science was not profess
sional healer-simply a man open TO con-
viction, and firmly believing in the truth
of the "Science. - This conviction OF his
was considered by legal authority as suf-
fcient evidence of the mans mental weak
ness. II is carefully explained that this
weakness may very possibly extend in
that one direction only but 1t is classed
as an unsound condition OF mind, liable
to spread into other lines besides this one
OF healing, and, therefore, rendering its
possessor unfit for properly discharging
the responsibilities OF guardianship.
The decision strikes us as peculiar, and
also as rather a dangerous precedent.
According to its provisions, ones person
al convictions in science, religion or what
not, may mark one as unbalanced. Most
people who do any thinking have convic-
tions OF some sort or other on different
subjects. Who is to decide where to
draw the line in this matter?
The New York court referred to makes
belief in Christian Science bar to certain
positions OF legal authority. Does a belief
in spiritualism, hypnotism, telepathy,
and kindred occult matters, subject one
TO the same disadvantages? Would the
theosophists stand any show at all in this
affair? And when we make invidious dis
tinctions against these various believers,
we come dangerously near ostracizing re-
ligious sects; also, IL the people of one
| mine to which one a man may belong,
and still be classed as well balanced? We
confess that II seems to us that this de-
cisioI against the Christian Scientist cp-
pears fraught with possible difficulties
There is almost no limit to the "isms"
and "osophies" ana "sciences" of this
present transitional stage in the human
search after truth. Because one feels
convinced in his own mind and con-
science that any OF these advanced tbeo-
ries is capable of leading him out into
the light, does II follow that the results
OF his research or of his enthusiastic in
terest must mark him as on the verge of
mental unsoundness? The decision seems
unfair and capable of being distorted into
still more unfair applications.
The names of many very eminent
thinkers and writer's are included in the
list of adherents TO the several new and
progressive cults of the day. We do not
find ourselves quite ready to admit that
on this account these eminent men are
mentally incapable OF properly admins
tering the affairs OF persons under age
who may chance to come under their
charge.
We heard an intel ligent physician re-
mark day or two since that in his way
of thinking the claim OF any man based
upon personal Investigation and convic-
tion, that Immortality Is matter of
knowledge, and not simply a matter of
faith, would be proof enough of that per-
sons unfitess to act as guardian. Accord
ing 10 this view OF the case, the late poet
TENNYsoN would necessarily have been
debarred from filing such position.
1t looks as il some of these new growths
in the line of phsychical study might have
a chance TO consider themselves severely
prosecuted. This setting staniar OF
mental soundness and testing IL by
weighing mans private views on certain
much mooted psychic questions of the
times, is rather a delicate undertaking.
And IL the precedent established by the
case herein cited were carried to its logi-
cal end, 1t would class vast number OF
the most thoughtful and intelligent men
and women of today as mentally unbal-
anced.