The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-17
Christian science in Cs.scaEo.

Chicago may perhaps claim he dis
tinetion Of being worse .ifiieted with
Christian Scientists than any other place
IN the United States There seems TO be
something in The air. Of Lake Michigan
which agrees with them At any rate, they
are continually arising and making some
point which has 20 he. broken short of as
soon as possible. for fear OF It's doing Sc
rious damage
Their latest manifestation Of foolishness
IS an organized opposition 10 vaccination.
The Chicago authorities have ordered that
all children in the public schools shall be
vaeeinafed. The Christian Scientists, Of
course, argue that since belief in small
pox is merely delusion. it is wrong 70
take any but mental precautions against
il. Their. neighbors. il is needless 10 say,
do not agree with them.
There are several texts in the Bible
which the Christian Scientist. in his zeal
for pure truth. seems wholly to ignore
and one Of them is that which commands
the true Christian to lore his neighbor as
himself While the haalers are quite ready
to exact obedience 70 this commandment
from ether people. they seem 10 have
little inclination to obey 1t themselves. It
is certainly not .self-d snying TO cause anx-
iety and possible danger to a whole COM
munity by disobeying perfectly reason
able ordinance Even from the point Of
view Of the Christian Scientist himself
belief in smallpox is just as bad as the
disease itself, aud ,nquestionably, By re-
1using TO take ordinary precautions against
contagion, Inc woIid-be Tsformer helps
70 spread this belief.
Another text important in this connec-
ton is that remark Of the Apostle Paul
that if meat causes his brother to offend,
he win eat no meat while the world stands
This may be construed into a declaration
that it is right TO ref; ain from some pleas
ant and agreeable things for the sake Of
the example" In ether words, one should
regard the feelings Of others, and try not
to do anything which viii make them sin
There is no question that the behavior Of
the Christian Scientists OF Chicago is eaus-
ing a good many worthy and reputable
citizens to swear. and if that is not sin,
according 10 the IDEAS OF the orthodox.
what is?
If miracle Is really necessary to con-
vince the Unbeliever that pain and dis
ease are myths, it does seem as If some
other means. than this might be taken Of
requiring one. Sogre OF the followers Of
Mrs Eddy might go into the lion-taming
business. or do some tight-rope walking,
and see if their belief viii save them
from being devoured or having their bones
broken. II an audience IN a big circus tent
could see Christian Scientist tumble
from a tight-rope stretched somewhere
near The dome. and then get up and walk
out OF the ring, it would certainly con-
vince them that there was something in
the 1eE- revelation; but 6ms far nobody
has done anything Of the ki1d. The be-
Hever seldom risks his oWn health ard
safety. only ether peoples In non-eon-
tagious diseases neglect affects only the
sufferer. bat in such naladies as smallpox,
ccarlet fever. and diphtheria Il IS differ
ent. and the faith which teaches that these
are inHccuous is as dangerous to the pub
lie welfare as the worship OF poisonous
snakes let loose IN q crowded street. II
fact, It Is rather worse. for the germs OF
disease are not as easy 10 kill as & snake.