The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-01
ABOUT CHRISTIAN SCIENCE.
Why 1t Thrives on Medical and News
paper Criticism.
the Editor of the Indiananolls Lonrnal:

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
1t seems to me there is a world of need
less pother about Christian science and a
deal of gratutous advertising of it that it
does not merit and what is remarkable is
that the advertising is all in the religious
press and under the guisc Of criticism and
fault-finding. Even the Journal, to show
that it is religiously inclined especially on
Sundays, in addition to its excellent sermon
and other religious reading, gave us last
Sunday editorial criticism of Christian
science that would have done credit to the
Christian Advocate or the Independent
What is further remarkable in these criti-
cisms is, they are never truthful and seem
to not desire to be-that is, they suppress
material facts or pervert them so as not TO
tell the whole truth. The Journals editorial,
however. lacked one element which charac-
terizes some, if not all, the religious papers.
These seem to have discovered that after
all, whatever of good is in Christian science,
so-called, is found in Buddhism and other
Oriental religions, and it is sacrilegious to
transplant it into Christian countries and
name 1t Christian science, whereas it is older
than Christianity itself, if there is anything
at all in it. This. in their logic is conclu-
sively fatal to its merits and must settle
that all creation outside Christian countries
is outside the tender regards of the ALE
Father, most of them including in this rep
rebate class all Christians who do not see
the Christ through the colored glasses they
use They think the other sheep of whom
the Master spoke who do not belong to their
little fold are very few and TO be greatly
pltied; hence the binding obligations to con-
uioute nDerally TO foreign missions that
all these may be cared for in the one fold.
Now, am not going TO defend Christian
science against the attacks of these RELIGIOUS
papers and of the Journal when on its good
behavior on sundays am too fully APP
pTised of the formidable force / would thus
encounter. Besides, the delusion if it be
one, seems not to need any defense. 1t APP
pears to be gaining favor with Intelligent
people, Notwithstanding such criticism. Even
the coroners inquest some time ago, over
q man who died of consumption while under
Christian science treatment, to ascertain
how much longer he might have lived under
ule treatment OF regular DOCTOR only
called attention to the science people for
1t appeared in the investigation official and
unofhcial, that men had died of consump-
ton 4 under treatment Of men having
stat ense TO practice medicine. And the
me ent attempt TO hold surviving
Fri criminally responsible for the death
OF -nr1stlan science patient because they
hat. not called in regular Doctor has
reacted and advertised Christian science as
a possible remedial agent. Better let it he
for all these diatribes of the religious press
and of the religious issues of the 'seculaT
press and corOner'S inqueStS and prosecH
lions for not employing doctors that have
diplomas, only call public attention to it,
and are investigations Of its merits by show
ing what it does accomplish.
Of course, l feel Inundated at the passing
of the friend of my childhood the regular
Doctor The scars on my arms tell how
loved the lancet in the days of his SUI
premacy; and there is not tooth IN my
mouth that / have not bought of the dentist,
the original supply having persisted in early
life through calomel. There were schools
lancet
would not salivate woman in childbirth or
a man with the ague, whereas there were
sovereign remedies on these and all other
occasions, but they were quacks, you
know, and | wanted to be regular If 1t
killed me. But II developed in the course OF
time that women who We're not bled and
Calomeled prepaSatoTy to giving birth to "A
child and that man with the ague could
get we'll without either and not have a
sore mouth or be debilitated by loss of blood,
and little by little the 'quack DOCTORS
came to the front and the regulars We're
only too glad to leave off bleeding and
salivating on all occasions, ana they are
now willing to recognize wherein their faith
ers mathematical. and make common cause
against Christian Scientists. Meanwhile the
number of persons who have been benefited
by Christian Scientists is constantly increas-
ing in every community. aud IS including
social standing that the cause they represent
is not likely to be pOOhpOOhed down, and
editorials in religious papers and the sun
day editions of secular papers, or coroner
inquests or criminal prosecution, or all put
together. is not likely to seriously impede
it's growth just how 1.-The regular doctors"
Of the future are to coalesce with them.
ard make common cause against some new
fad that is In the womb of the future can
not now see any more than / could have
foreseen fifty years ago how the discordant
schools" would one day be cheek by jOwl
in demanding legislation to save the whole
posse of them from the unlicensed doctor
that cuts on prices and plays the "scab"
though doing as good work as the best OF
them But | don't have to foresee how
that is to be done; it is enough TO foresee 3
that it will be, and that the foremost Ing
the combine" will be the doctors, just ag
the regulars of fifty years ago are foref
most in the combine" of to-day with the
"quacks" of fifty years ago. U. /. SEHy
Indianapolis, Dec. 81