The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-11-19
THAT CHRISTIAN
SCIENCE CASE
An Accurate Review of the
Hertzka Trial.
Statements Prom the Young Man on Trial
and From the State Medkal
Board.

|
Written for The Journal by its Regular Portland
Representative
Portland, Nov. 1.-THE case Of State
vs, Abraham w. Hertzka. which has
attracted so much attention for several
months past, has been occupying the
minds Of the workers at the circuit
court at Oregon City this week. The
cardinal facts in the case, though per-
haps well known, are here recounted:
For some time previous to last Jam
uArJ lady, Mrs. Quint by name, was
confined TO her home at Oregon City by
sickness, and the ministrations Of the
physicians whom she employed did not
appear to cause her toimprovein health.
She expressed herself as believing that
the efforts Of Christian Scientist
might have good results upon the con-
dition Of her health, and in accordance
with that belief che caused Abraham W.
Hertzka, Of this city, to be summoned.
Hertzka has been practicing Christian
Science treatments in this place for the
past two years. He treated Mrs. Quint
and on the 9TH Of last February she died.
Upon Mrs. Quint's death the coroner
held an inquest and IL was decided that
the woman met death from a disease Of
the liver. Shortly after the inquest
charges were preferred against Hertzka
for having violated the Oregon state
avs in practicing without license is
sued by the state board Of medical ex.
aminers. Hertzka was arrested and
released on bond. The case came up
for trial in Justices court few days
later and at that time Hertzka was fined
800, having been found guilty OF the
charge as read.
The defendants attorney put in no
defence, an appeal was taken and the
case carried TO tho Circuit court. There
it was tried the past week, The trial
consumed about three days OF the courts
time. The case, as mentioned, was heard
before Judge McBride's court. The at
torneys for the defence were James r.
Stoddard and Gordon E. Hayes. The
prosecution was conducted by Disttict
Attorney Harrison A len.
The defence held that Hertzka did
not profess to heal that he merely EN-.
ployed the same processes rs did Jesus
Christ when he walked upon the earth
healing diseases. II was the emphatic
assertion OF the defence that at no time |
did Christ himself claim to heal disease, |
but that in all instances IL was God |
who healed through Christ, the Nazer-
enc being only the instrument through |
which Gods working brought about
the cure. Hertzka, the defence argued.
like the man OF Galillee, claimed to
heal no disease Of himself, but rather
that God was the power. Therefore II
the defendant claimed no power as a
healer, the attorneys held he could not
be prosecuted for violation Of the state
law.
The prosecution argued that Christ
lid employ material agencies in working
he cures. The instance Of the use
II the clay and spittle was cited. The
claims were made that no modern per-
ionage is divine, that there is only one
hird member OF the Trinity who ia
he Christ. The physicians OF the state
md OF the county are arrayed against
christian Scientists not because they
ear, that the practitioners will win
rom them patients, but because the
general welfare OF the indiyidualsin the
where the Christian Sci J.
,ntists are working is at stake. The So
.alled religion is neither Christian nor
icience. II 10 a fact beyond disputa-
ion that there lie certain influence Of
mind over matter that II employed by
properly works wonders in
he way Of curing diseases. II has,
however, at no time been known to cure
be contagious diseases and on that ac-
,ount the Christian Science advocates
Who advance it are 10 be feared in any
ocality
The jury after having been charged by
he conrt, retired and soon returned for
urher instruction, The first ballot
itood ten for Aoquital and two for conyic-
ion. The second ballot stood seven for
lcquittal and five for conviction, and
this result was given 10 the court The
,ase will have ie-triah
Hetzka made the following statement
% a representative Of the JoURNAL this
afternoon: "Christian Scientists cannot
be included in this law THAT regulating
medical practice and the issuing OF IL
.ense) as they do not prescribe, direct or
lse drugsof any kind. Christian Science
s a religion and the religion heals the
lick. The Science does not heal the sick,