The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-09-25
I'm THE NAME OF RELIGION"
A Correspondent Who Thinks Christian Science
is Mental Leprosy"

tn the Fditor:-A reading Of the strong
| articles written by Doctors Lewis, Baker
and Mckee in response to your request
for an opinion regarding the liability 10
;rdictment of the Christian Science
booler attendant upon the boy who re-
Gently died in Newbern, has impelled me
10 send you this communication. rms
| death adds but another name 10 the long
list of those who have either sacrlhceQ
themselves or have been sacrificed upon
the altar OF that deplorGble delusion,
"Cbristian Science" so-called. That
| such an altar should have been reared
in our State. that some have laid there,
no less an Offering than their own lives
and the lives Of those dear to them,
| sayors strongly of the fact that we have
vet among our people some Of the super
stition and blind assumption OF another
sge. when enlightenment was yet UNBORN
when science was not, and when atl1lcted
humanity. impelled by a mysterious no.
ton Of the nature Of disease, turned
for relief to any proffcrcd hope, hoWe~"
absurd or delusive.
This unfortunate death of en- irrespon-
sible. el~even-year-old child by a disease
ordinarily durable, absolutely unattended
by any of the authentic means ordinarily
enlDlOy6d Tor the fGllGI Oh MS uloSdoS,
viz: .'malaria.' but attended by the min
istrations Of a 'Christian Science heal
or. who, we presume, calmly and per-
sistently assured him that he was not
sick but only imagined himself to be So
these conditions demand careful thought
and careful discussion, for they are but
the index Of similar crimes to be eX-
| pected later, unless sOme eifectual inter-
vention be had. An attempt is made by
those responsible for such deaths to JUS
tify his conduct in the name Of reli-
6ion, and the claim held hat any legal
attempt to restrain their perniciCus prac-
tice would operate to prosecute them.
This latter fact renders a solution Of
| the problem more difficult. Religious lib
| erty, in both thought and practice, is
one of the cardinal principles upon which
our Commonwealth is builded, and of
right should be, but a religion which not
| cnly permits, but encompasses the avoid
| able death Of its votaries, q fanaticism,
in religious guise, which calmly 'imag-
ines" cut OF existence those too well
known and viruleht destroyers Of human
life and happiness, viz: Typhoid fever,
smallpox, dipntheria, tuberculosis, vel
low fever, plague. etc, while these are.
or may be spreading pestiience in the
land and claiming innocent victims, at
least deserves at the hands OF the law,
no more lenicnt consideration than that
which would provide effective protection
against it. The people are deeply con-
cerned and this first death in the State,
should arouse them to discover viz
tue there is in our present laws. This bar
barous negligence in the enlightened city
Of Newborn should determine if cur law
provides an adequate remedy, and if
pOon no found LOT thnrn no Onn .nooafo1
during the coming legislature.
The State endeavOrS to protect the life
and physical welfare Of its population
against Quacks and charlatans, by regu-
lating the practice Of medicine within
her borders. Through the medium of
her board OF health she not only disscIn-
mates knowledge of how to combat dis
{ ease, but often cOmpels the use of this
knowledge on the part of the ignorant
and perverse, without any regard for
individual belief Or opinion. If these
things be the province and duty Of the
! State; if it may properly limit the spread
Of smallpox or diphtheria, surely legis!a-
ton to prevent the spread OF that mental
leprosy. christian Science" is both ap-
propriate and imperative.
The right of the individual to accept
or reject any means Of treatment in the
event Of sickness IS entitled to some
show Of consideration, but Individual
choice must often yield to the common
veal.
Our law is presumed to be enacted for
the definite purpose Of securing ''the
greatest good 20 the greatest number
of citizens, and it is apparent that this
principle must govern in dealing with
the Christian Science problem.
| have written this in the hope, sir,
that some discussion may follow. point
ing to 4 means Of Kidding our good old
State forever of tho possibility of an
other tragedy like that recently enacted
ct Newborn.
HARRY GIBBONS UTLEY.