New-York tribune., 1899-07-14
TO CURB FAITH HEALERS.
BILL DISCUSSED AT A MEETING OF THE MEDICAL AND
LEGAL RELIEF SOCIETY,"


want the shackIes Of tyranny TO rest upon him
or his family l have been close student OK
criminal law for many years. and have never
read OF anything since the Dark Ages that can
compare with its provisions | would fear to
have the liberties of the citizen left IN the hands
OF a Legislature hat would pass a bill OF this
kind. which provides that a person who advises
another. shall be guilty OF manslaughter IL the
man dies Such a thing has never been known
In the annals Of common law since they pressed
witches at Salem" Mr.. Lunt was loudly ap-
pauded by the Christian Scientists. who were
gathered together in one part OF the room
Edward F. Smith also opposed the bill, and
then Axel Gustafsoi made a strong appeal Tor
its adoption. AT present" he said, Christian
Scientists favored by the law. The law ID
unable to reach them. despite the fact that they
are not qualified to heal We therefore should
advocate that the law be changed. and advocate
it in the name Of common justice TO all.
Mrs. Laura Lathrop then arose 10 speak and
was Invited TO ascend the platform. She has
snow white hair a fresh complexion, bright
eyes. mellow voice and a convincing manner.
Il stand nere before you" she said, the
pioneer OF Christian Science in this city.
woman who for twenty three years was help
less Invalid for whom all the skill OF all the
doctors could do nothing; but now cured by
Christian Science. Nevertheless / do not want
TO say one word against doctors. They were
the best friends hal all through those dreary
years I love physicians. have treated good
many OF them. and 1 have certificates from
them in which they freely acknowledge that
they received certain benefits from my treat
ment which they could not get anywhere else.
The trouble is that these doctors who speak
against Christian Science do not really know
what Christian Science Is. They set up man
OF straw in their arguments. for the pleasure
of knocking him down again.
QUESTION ASKED.
Alderman Okie here interrupted the speaker
by asking permission TO put question 10 her
about the alleged teaching OF the Christian
! Scientists that he body does not really exist
We do not deny the existence Of the body"
replied Mrs. Lathrop. That is another point
on which We are msrepresented. We admit that
! the mind cannot exist in this world without the
body Our corporeal frame is the embodiment
| OF the mind when begin 70 perceive that
! God is the one and only mind in the universe.
! then we begin 20 understand that our bodies
! and minds will be absorbed in the mind OF
| Christ"
| Tho Rev. Carol Norton. reader in the First
| Church of Christ. Scientist. followed Mrs. Lath-
ron "AII Christian Scientists" he said. re
snect the motives OF this meeting, but the bill
sayors too much Of paternalsm to succeed IN
a free country The history OF Christian Sci
| anca Is the history of the advance or Chris-
| tfanity Christian Science is the restoration or
| a temporary lost element In the Christian re-
| Iieton The necessity OF healing the SICK goes
| hand in hand with religious duty, and with the
! healing of disease through mental processes
| sneak in the name Of 2OO0OOO persons, VINO got
no relief for their ailments from the pest phy
hut pshO
! Cbristian Science Our ranks are being re-
| cruited daily from the ranks OF doctors IN an
the schools OF medicine. and stan1 READY 10
J give certificates from many OF these pny-
| scians that Christian Science is to-day healing
cancer. consumption locomotor ataMa ana
| other diseases too numerous 10 n'entlon -
! I'VE treat on the basis OF mental anatomy not
nbvscal" he added in reply 10 an lnterJected
question from Alderman okie, and then went
on TO answer the attack wnlch preEious pss
or had made on Mrs Eddy because sne charged
q steep price for her book. Mrs EDDY ne oe-
/ clared has been giving all the money sne gets
! to charity for the last fifteen years
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE DEFINED
n- Rond Stow here asked II there was any
| distinction between faith cure and Christian
science. and the speaker declared that the oit-
| ference was radical The faith curlst ne said,
",aacbas that II enough faith is exercised God
will in direct answer 20 the prayer OF the sIck
narson and his friends cure the disease Cnris.
! tian science bases it's healing on the doctrns o,
! all Of God. MIND. ne HleldpHSSiSo.
| therapeutics Of the system is based on Hentat
| causation. mental cause and effect. and all tnat
! relates 10 the cure OF disease as Whole III
! christian science are based on MIND Chrlsuan
science Is not faith cure. The systems are az
| nolar extremes and should not De coniounoesu.
| ALDERMAN Okie here urged Mr.. Norton 10 give
his opinion OF the BILL and the speaAe n
! do not advise against the patient caHlns ~ a..
! nhysician and we In harmony WIN ene
trainers Of the proposed bill II II u aien1vu a -
as 10 make II msdemeanor also lor aIy ~ s.,an
-
! Scientist" ,.,o.v, nv
Mr.. Norton was succeeded on the PLATFORM oy
| Mrs Augusta f. Stetson. for thirteen ysais =,
! tor and now first reader in the flrs' ChuIon %
| Christ Scientist She began 10 snow Lhe peso-
ties OF Christian Science. but was called 20 orusl
| nv DR. stow who insisted that she speak 20 ths
| bill She then said: "As Christian scien.iSt
shal, never oppose the calling in Of physician
! by sick persons whom may be treatins =.
Alderman Okie asked II she would reiuse 49, 70
| treat any longer patient VINO calieo III q u'e'''
| Mrs StetsOn said she would . 49,, A.. A..
would not that be practically advice 70 tns
patient not call in Doctor sne was sss.aar ssns
| "It might be 30 taken, said Mrs sDsusop
| boldly hut that is what / would do.
| she then went on to say that Mrs Eaay was
following in the footsteps or Jesus Cnris. Wnen
| Alderman Okie again interrupted by ASKING u
| sbs thought Christ would go into the book pup
| Ishing and souvenir spoon business as MIS-
| Eddv has. =. 1,-.. ,-sr.
| 30 reyisit the earth this year he would nnc
| things 90 greatly changed that he might tnins
| II advisable TO go into the souvenir spoon Dus'
| ness for ali she could tell ,
! G Butts Assistant Corporation CounseL
| then introduced some real old 1amman,
| knockdown arguments into the debate by as
| serting that all Christian scientists "sIs ul
| iour order Of intellect and AL who had addressee
| the meeting were abnornally developed IN tnsn
| minds He challenged them 10 produce sn'
! neople who had been cured or wnat are eo I
p,sr-aa hy doctors 10 ne incurable diseases. anc
| Insisted that all Christian Scientists were GRIM
| inaIs and as such the Legislature should pro
| foeir nj
| n III penn xas called by Chairman Sutrt
| % .rsak and he responded with few words
| ct have no faith In Christian Science ! car
| M. no difference In being cured by this oehs
| - h,, bvnnotlsm but believe that this cii' l
nassed viii do more harm than good We nav
| 70 r,,,ch legislation and In this law we wouh