The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-08-16

People in the north continue TO write
of Christian Science" so-called. One
writer in New York Saturday Review
tells Of his experience with the teach
ers Of the old-new fad-as old as ORR
entalism in some sense n as new as
the latest humbug. H. E. G. denies that
it is christian" at all, for it denies
II divinity of Christ" That Is TO put
it correctly, for nothing can be Chris
tian that is not based upon CHRIST as
the Son OF God-as Very God as well
as Very Man. No one can with any
pretention to consistency n reason
declare that he believes in christian
Science and turns his back upon the
Lord Jesus Christ as indeed Divine,
nor can he appropriate to himself the
example Of Saint Paul or that Of any
other Apostle" II. E. c.. has read Rev
Mary G.. B. Eddy's book of 600 pages,
and he found it DOR in thought n Ian
guage. He writes that he found him
self not only no wiser, but rather nau-
seated by the low order of the litera-
.ture, and my friend told me I was get
ting into a state Of Decentralization,
and had better attend a Bible class
under the first reader of one Of their
so-called churches. The lesson was on
the journey Of our Lord to Jerusalem.
The opening sentence was, And He
went up to Jerusalem Laying down
the book, she glanced around the class
and began the explanation by saying
Now, my dear students, do not allow
yourself to be misled by these words
into suppOsing that Jesus ever actually
went up to Jerusalem. He only went
in thought I was dazed. Here was
an acknowledged historical fact per-
verted and denied. She might as we'll
have said there never was n such
battle as Waterloo"
He gave up that book in great dis
gust if not disappointment. He quotes
from a friend who proposed a good test
for Christian Science" and it's theory.
To make a Demonstration it was
proposed, in order that faith might be
proved by works, for these religion
lists" of new faith profess that moth
ing can harm them. The tropical sea
cannot overcome them; no malarial
can infect them; not q bullet can touch
their sacred persons. Now, why do
they not form a regiment or battalion
and go to the front? If they are i'm
uervious to a Mauser bullet, her they
ere murderers to let other men fall in
1 leir defense" Another writer in the
same literary weekly, signed r. Hitch
lock, makes a point or two worthy of
consideration. He insists that all the
teachings Of this new school must be
taken strictly in a Pickwican sense. He
says:
Historical facts have no bearing up-i
on a system of faith which, in it's ma
ture, is opposed to facts Of n kind.
The faith of the great army of believ-
ers makes them proof against drown
ing tropical waters, Infection, and
Spanish bullets, in the same way that
the e~Xpounder referred to said that
Christ went up to JeruSalem-in
thought only. OF course, if a person of
that cult should be perforated with a
bullet, faith would deny the fact, and
if perchance the man hould die and
refuse to believe himself dead, this
would only be in conformity with the
doctrine; but it introduces difficulties
which are too deep for my compre-
hension."
He, too, has been reading Rev.
Mary's book and is amazed He thinks
it probably, in a certain sense the
most remarkable book ever written.
His words are with pag after page
words, which read we'll but convey
no meaning, it is a masterpiece of COM
position of a kind which appeals to
those who think it is great because
it is beyond their comprehension. The
Glossary is unique"
What is a Christian? This question