The times., 1899-12-10
Christian science in JournaIIsm.

Christian Science in journalism.
Anyone who is anxious to obtain infor-
nation on the less serious aspects of what
is called Christian Science may find it in
teresting TO look at a monthly paper con-
Quoted by one of its representatives at
Little Rock, Ark, and bearing the some
what ambitious title of THE Christian"
OF course, the recent developments in con-
nection with this belief have convinced
most sensible people that it is not very
safe doctrine to have preached in the COM
munity Leaving out all other considera-
tions. no town can afford to have among
its population a body of persons who de-
libeTately, and on alleged religious
grounds, disregard the law of quarantine.
But a cursory examination of this Arkansas
paper will convince them also that the ed
itors and subscribers thereof have not
brains enough to be trusted out of doors
by themselves.
We find in this publication the state
ment that the Judgment Day will begin
next year, and will last for ninety-nine
years. The writer does not explain how he
knows this; he simply throws out the re-
mark to alight where it may.
We also find the general assertion: The
individual is God; the institution is the
Devil and Tom Walker" The latter con-
demnation is supposed to include churches,
schools. colleges, and all societies and or
ganizations.
We discover that the gentleman who
conducts this paper thinks he had a per-
sonal interview with a personal devil, and
presumably talked slang to him.
We see this peculiar statement: "All
judgment is given unto me; therefore.
when I want whisky the only thing for
God to do is to let me have it.
All the so-ealled things in the objective
world are so many playthings in the hands
Of the children Of God. Liberty to knock
down these things is given US for the ex-
ercise Of our mental faculties" From this
the gentleman argues that he has power
to injure man or woman, since they are
put in this world for him to amuse him
self with them. A comfortable theory for
him; hardly so pleasant for other people.
Later there is an incomprehensible mass
of stuff, not over clean in atmosphere,
written, sad to say, by a woman, and not
fit TO put in the columns of a respectable
newspaper. All through the paper the mis-
takes in grammar. construction, and even
spelling are somewhat distressing. As for
the taste of the whole thing, it is execrable
in rather more than sixteen different ways.
In comparison with the more serious er-
rors of this so-called faith. matters Of mere
taste are. of course, of slight Importance;
but nevertheless they should not be wholly
overlooked It is not necessary to assume
that plain people are entirely Indifferent to
the refnements of life, and must be ca
tered to with sermons couched partly in
slang and colloquiaIism We must not
overlook the fact that here in America the
schoolhouse is not the only means Of edu-
cation The churches, especially in coun-
try towns, still furnish the people with
social and intellectual as well as moral
standards, and there yet remain some
vestiges Of the old idea that the clergy
man in a small community should be
looked up TO as somewhat above his con
gregation in education and culture as well
as in self-sacrifcing goodness. It is i'm
portant that religious thought should not
be vulgarized. There are millions of peo-
pie who must be more or less educated by
their religion, and who need all delicate,
subtle influences which can be associated
with that factor in their lives. This is
especially true of women and girls, who
cannot shape their own lives if they be
poor as easily as can their husbands and
brothers Why should the religious
thought which is impaired to them not be
as pure and delicate and refined as that
given TO the girl in a wealthy home? Why,
in the name OF all common sense, should
the religious music which they sing be re-
duced to meaningless jingle, their re
ligious books be skim milk novels, and
the sermons which they hear be couched
in the slang of the street? This particular
paper is not more debasing that a good
many others claiming to be religious, but
it is bad enough and it ought TO be sup
pressed in some way or other.