The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-07-22
REPLY OF SCIENTIST.
Lewis B. Coates Discusses Charges of
Physicians.
To the Editor of The Herald:

To the Editor of The Herald:
As you have given considerable space
in your issue of July Is for the phv-
sicians of the city to express their
views on Christian Science as well &C
upon the spread of contagion. will Won
kindly give space for the following:
We feel it is but justice to the many
hundredS of Christian Scientists in this
city, who are working honestly and
faithfully to relieve the sufferings of
humanity.
we are much surprised that any
physician in good standing would make
the wholesale charges against a set of
people that DR.. Maclean made in Fri
days Herald
1t should be remembered there are
about 500 people in our CONGREGATION
each Sunday, the personnel of which
VIII compare quite faVOrably with any
congregation in the city. 1t should
also be remembered there are hundreds
OF others in this city interested in
Christian Science and are depending
upon 1t in times of sickness.
1t might also be well to remember
there are thousands of others in this
city. as well as in every city in the
land, who have sad hearts because of
the failures and Inconsistencies of
materia medica- These people are all
heartily welcoming the dawn of any
healing agency that will relieve the
suherings and sorrows of a stricken
race. Christian Scientists are not cruel
in their families; they are not law
breakers, and they are not working in
a way that harms the community in
which they live. On the contrary, they
are ardent supporters of law and or
der and are doing everything in their
power to prevent sin and disease. as
we'll as to heal them.
patients are increasing by the thou
sands and ten thousands. and. of
course. this is making heavy inroads on
all drugging methods; but if the peo-
pie want Christian Science healing we
ask why should physicians try TO herd
them? As discretion is the better part
of valor. it might be wise for those
VINO wish to persecute Christian Scien-
lists TO first consider its great num-
bers the class of people in it. and its
rapid growth, and then ask them
selves. Why all this? If they find tk,ir
answer in the fact that their own svs-
TENS have failed TO meet human needs.
have been tried and found wanting"
possibly they viii be more modest in /
their assertions and more charitable in |
their attitude toward it.
If medicine and the present methods |
supplied human needs would the peo-
pie go away from it? No. of course
not. If the churches taught and prac- 1
ticed a religion that healed sorrow and
suffering. would they be in any danger
of losing their members? No. by no |
means. On the contrary, the whole
human family would have been
church members long ago. The rapid
growth of Christian Science is direct
proof of the low degree of spirituality
in the other churches and of the utter
failure of all drugging methods.
The only common sense rem
edy, then. is to- look within
and change their teachings and
practices until they scientifically heal
sin and sorrow When this
s done they viii need no other adyer-
.isement, no legislation and no human
support
Christian Science came unannounced.
,ealing the sick and the sinful and re-
claiming the infidel. The good it does
6 its only recommendation. II has
lever asked any legislature to pass n
ill so it could protect the people. II
lever breaches any sermons against |
lther denominations. for we believe
hat sermons containing public attacks
lpon other churches are not as wei
calculated TO develop Christian char !
cter and to build up church as those 4.
ermons that give practical instruc- :
ion as to how to overcome sickness
nd sin at home. Moreover, we believe
ne of the greatest needs in this age
3 for each church and each system of
ealing to let the other alone live what :
hey have and let the effect on its fol- :
)wers decide the question. :
Any church or any system Of healing | I