The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-15

wager and Of the fSeble in intellect and
the unreceptiye In soul to refer TO persons
with whom they 10 not agree rs
"crsnks" and fanatics. -
IL Is nothing unusual that the journal
goes out Of IT'S way TO attack those per
sons who have learned to believe in what
is known as Christian Science. for IL 10 a
singular characteristic of the Journal
that IL rarely neglects opportunity To de
grade itself by treating either malioiously
or flippantly important subjects to which
| IL has not given sufficient attention 20
intelligently discuss Accordingly, it re-
fers to the great body of intelligent and
devoted men and women who are Christ
ian Scientists as 'cranks" and "fannt-
les "
| That development In religion, OF habit
and OF thought manifested in so remark
able a degree and growing so marvel
ously just now, surely requires no de-
fense against this kind of attack. We
may oIly deplore the state Of mind that
prompts such attacks and hope for q
wholesome rousng up Of the shrivelled
soul that cannot view more toerantly
whatever in human progress is sincere
and seeks the light. The Journals text
for It's latest manifestation OF Ill nature
and petty spite is the case in Camden. n.
j., of "A Science healer who has been in
dicted for manslaugbter because child.
sick with diphtheris, died under his
charge.
OF course such q case has small sig
nifioanoe in the discussion Of q principle
so profound as that OF the power Of the
mind and the saving grace Of the Spirit
over matter. Indeed, persons who. like
the Journal, would bs prompt TO seize
upon 1t as an argument would be the
very last TO admit thas Christian Sci
ence or mental healing in5 whatever
form, has ever cured disease or saved
life. Peculiarly fortunate, to be sure, is
the position of the regular doctor Of
medicine VINO is permitted to file q death
return every day wit thout being in dan
GER of having charge OF maDslaua hter
brought against him, yet 1t proves moth
ing at all that the law accepts his parch-
ment in lieu Of all responsibility for
closing n case" Wrong diagnosis,
neglect of the patient, failure 70 treat
| properly even as the materia medica
all Of them together place the regular
| physician In jeopardy in event OF the
death OF the sick one intrusted to his
charge. Yet, should the patient prefer
| TO leave his case To what he sincerely be-
leves to be power higher than human
law or medical practice tie person who
goes to the bedside to encourage the spirit
Is liable, I'm the event of ruling of tho
Almighty contrary to the desire of man,
to be charged with murder while, as re-
Gently illustrated here In Rhode Island,
the law is invoked not only that We
must be made to die under legal medical
supervision, but also to deny us the
privilege of striving to live by placing
ourselves in the care Of any one that the
board of health does not sanction.
The progress Of human thought is ever
EN- barrassed by blocks I'm the path. by
reason thereof, is strength gained, erro,
corrected and the true way finally dis
covered to be thence forth walked with
firm and unhesitating tread. In the
field of material invention success Is rarely
achieved except through process of well
nigh disheartening failure and mistake.
But il the germ OF truth Is there neither
error in it's application nor the ridicule
or malice OF the intolerant observer who
cries crank" prevails to long delay
recognition by the world. Little Of i'm
portsnce In human achievement, froIn
the invention of the steam engine indeed
from the demonstration that the world |
Is round and not square-to the telephone
and elsctrlo light, but has been built |
upon failures In early experiment and de- |
spite the sort of opposition that the |
Journal indulges in whenever It takes up |
the subj ct Of Christian Science, or the |
power of mind over matter tho suprsm- |
acy of a higher power that today seems |
to find Its most conspicuous ex position in |
the boiler that assumes that significant |
title. But IL for no other reason than |
tnat hundreds OF thousands OF people, |
intelligent thinking, Christian people, |