Arizona republican., 1898-12-20
ENGLHND'S FAITH CURISTS
Christian Science . Revival of Baby
 ioRian Beliefs.


 London, Dec 19-Popular irritation
 over the folly and bigotry which are
 sacrificing valuable lives in the name
 Of so-called Christian Science is becom-
 ing very strong in this country. The
 fad is a new growth in England, and it's
 vetaries are few compared with the humber Of followers which is gained in
 America when tha craze was at it's
 height ten CT tweive years ago. Chris tian science differs scarcely Sls all in
 It's principles and teachings from the doctrines Of ''tha Peculiar People, 9 mudl humb bier class Of faith curists, whose representatives frequently figure
 in English police courts upon com plaints of societies for the protection of children from cruelty. These ignorant faddists are often punished by fine or l Imprisonment fer negieCciEg to provide proper medical care for children or Oth- CTS dependent upon them in case Of ill- ness. Little public sympa hy is wasted upon them on account Of their lOWly position in the social scale, and because i they are looked upon as merely ex- pies Of the truth of the prOvarD that little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
  9 footing among persons Of a pre5una- ably higher grade Cf intelligence and is carrying the dangers Of the possession Of Q. little knowledge to the point of technical nanslRught6r, society is nat uTally becoming eX2stparated and is de- manding a stern legal repression Of the mischief Hence it is tha, the death Of Harold Frederic has developed into test case against the leaders of the movement. a
 Meantime an English investigator has discovered tha5 so-called Christian Science does not possess even the first merit claimed for i5, namely, an origin in the teachings Of Christ in the New 1 estament. Christian Science Of to- day is, in fact, merely revival of the BabylCnial medical beliefs Of 5000 years ago. The only change of impOr- tanos is That naturally God and Christ have been substituted fer the ancient gods or spirits. The BabylOnian Of 8 3,00O years ago had the very common and widespread belief that Nature was 8 realm under the sway of two camps Of spirits, enc benevolent, the other maleyGlenl. According as enc CT the i other prevailed the BabyIonian was well or i'll. According to his belief there was a ''nOxiOus spirit of the i
 
 ever member or organ might be afiict- ! cd. His treatment, like that of the i | nrissian Scientist of today, was to ap- | peal to mOle powerful spirit to drive [ the nCxiOus one away. Tn this way the tried to cure the wasting | disease, CT 'nCXious sputa Of the lips" which we cl- consumption; 10 repel . levers, which he called the burning disease" or "JIe j-ampler," who re- srected neither high nor low, bu5 rest ed upon ,le Jody of slave and chief tain;" by this was meant the plague with which VIC are now familiar n n dIa.
 h their prayers the Akkadians would describe the symptoms of their dis ease and then ask to be relieved. Here. for example is the prayer of As5ur- laZir-pal the 1'rsl, son of Samsi-Rim- man DISCO B. @; it was offered up to the lady of NIireveh.'' Put into mod 3rn phraseOIcgy the king described his Iiseass as an eruption Of boils, accom- panied by diaTrhOea, causing feeling ]f anxiety, with loss Of sleep and appe- lite, consequently he suffered from general depression and 3n inability 10 epjOy life. A literal translation of the prayer would run: "In what have I 3inned against thee? Why hast thou allotted me diseases, boils and pesti- ence? Is this thy just decree? As me who did honor 10 thy divinity am 1 afflicted. If l have nC5 considered sin md civil, why am I thus smit-en? In ny foundations I am unloosed, I am broken to pieces, and rest l find not on he throne of my kingdom. l lasted, md what feasLs 1 had befOTs I grew lot near. The wine Hbation turned to gall From rejoicing 1 am wfIa'held { 2 fife I am cut off. My eyes are sealed f ID. I do not lift them up from the $ urf2ce Of the eatrh. How long, oh, I ady, shall tto disease without ce2sing I estr0y my members?"
 The Assyrians used mere than mere ncantatiOns, and in this they differ rom the modern Christian Scientst. : D Assyria the pine cone was consider Y q to have power to restore health and [ ven: evil spirits. I, was administered y the "Christian ScieEtis,s" of ancient 'abyIOn to the sick, who sucked the ' .p of it, thus transferring to them elves is healing properties. A bunch l grapes is used in Persia win the anne object at the present day, and . cry probably the grape cure" for con- f gmptiOn in certain parts Of the cOnti- f ent is continuation of the same idea. n Another point of distinction between le modern and ancient medicine lan'' is this: When an ancient Assy- :. ian called in a scientist to help cure i'm, the latter fixed his price for the rayers, etc, but the stipulation was .ade Of mo cure, no pay lie treat lent was often exactly the same as rat which proved fatal to Frederic, ading religious books and administer g nourishing foods ad libitum. |
 q
 A RUIN CONSUMMATED.''