The times., 1899-11-02
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE.
To the Editor OF Tha Tires.

/ To the Editor OF The Times:
ParadoxicaI as it is bound to appear. in
view Of the extravagant claims Of Chris
/ tan Scientists, a whole lot of trouble mot
a mere belief in trouble. but the real thing
is gnawing at the breast Of the mother
church. Although the most persistent
efforts have bsen made to keep the matter
out Of print and to deIude the public gen.
orally, it has gradually percoIated to the
ears Of quite a number of the non-elect
: that dtssensions wide and deep are men
aGlng the very existence OF this community
of inspired healers.
Here in Washington the trouble is known
to have reached a critical stage. One Of
the most noted leaders of the local asgre-
gatton. man who has bsen accustomed to
receive large punches Of adulatiOn, as wen
as coin of the realm, from the congregation
I to whom he was wont to discourse on the
non existence of matter, the allness Of the
al and the efficacy of immortal mind in
curing corns IN one night, and forcing can
GERS to disappear instantly, has organized
a revolt of no mean proportions against
the original corporation whose headquar-
ters and principal collectors Office are
I located in Lowell
By this act of separation the once trusted
leader and expert healer has pulled down
upon himself a whole house full of wrath
from that rare collection of reformers who
{ write c. S after their names and take the
affirmative side of universal love and peace.
What led the dissenting brother TO take
such rash step. according TO his own
statements, was an edict which came to
him in dream. commanding him TO ''un-
chain the truth. This he has done up to
a certain point with somewhat OF TIE frank
ness employed by Mark Twain's converted
pirate, and about to the following effect:
Cd That the discoyerer and chief pro-
/ moter Of Christian Science is in the hands
OF trust which has placed her publica
tions on the market at prices beyond the
reach Of poor people.
90 That Christian Science, as manipu-
lated by the gang. is mercenary to the
core; and,
(3) That the dupes of this immediate fad
are slaves Of the most pronounced type.
He does not unch2in the whole truth.
but as he has gone into the healing bust
ness himself it Is natural that he should
wish to retain a few secrets with which to
conjure few paying dupes of his own
But the curiosity of the unregenerate
public has been stirred up by the few reve-
lations he has made. The public, for in
stance. would like to know a good reason
for the persistent absence of the Christian
Science healers from all localities where
yellow fever is epidemic or why they
don't emulate the example of Christ and
flock to the nearest leper colony and allay
the scourge; or why innocent children in
this community and elsewhere have been
allowed TO die for want of competent medi-
cal attention.
It would be interesting to know why
people who pay extravagant fees to learn
this mystic art of healing are ignorant of
every known form of disease and the most
simple remedy when they start out in the
business, or why they insist on being paid
In advance for healing diseases which they
claim do not exist. And it would be eX
tremely interesting to know why people
who appear to be intelligent resort to such
ignorant and mercenary quacks when they
are sick @.