The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-10
Christian science in boston.

| "A meeting OF Christian scientists was
! recently held in fremont Temple, In Bos-
ton, and three thousand people came to
hear and to tell wonder stories. The ex-
+, ercisee consisted of what is called "briei
| personal testimony" Of men and women
all over the hail; and sometimes, it is
said. three or four were on their feet
at the same moment, trying to speak.
| One lady testified that she had at one
time or another been under the care Of
| thirty-six different physicians, had been
| an inmate of six sanitariums, and had
| submitted to four surgical operations.
Then, as she expressed 1t, she climbed TO
, the roof Of the Temple of Christian Science
| and found the Angel OF Peace"
There is such thing as the physician
habit, and some people have it badly. 1t
may be said without much hesitation that,
generally speaking, when a person tries
/ thir;y-six physicians one after the other,
he or she must have pretty good consti-
tuition to be alive at the end of the ex-
perience. 1t is but reasonable to suppose
that the constitution, if left alone, would
in time effect cure. The lady did not
really need to climb to the roof of the
Temple of Christian Science to leave her
ailments behind her. The roof Of an ordi-
nary barn would have done just as well
II she did not take her medicines along.
Another Witness" an Englishman, tes-
titled that he had for twenty-five years
smoked every sort of tobacco. aud for
thirty-three years had used every kind Of
alcoholic stimulants, beginning at the age
Of four years. He had also been afflicted
with asthma and eczema, and in trying
to get rid OF the latter ailment had
taken arsenic enough to kill nerd of
elephants" Two years ago he took up
Christian Science, and, incidentally, stopped
smoking and drinking and taking arsenic.
He says he is well man, and it is per-
fectly reasonable to sulpose that he is
telling the truth.
But the cream OF the testimony came
later. One man declared that Christian
Science had cured him of consumption be-
fore he knew he had it, which is one OF
the finest examples ever given Of uncon-
scious humor. 1t reminds one Of the old
time arguments in favor Of teaching the
westminster CatecnlSm 10 f0ur-yeaf-Olu
infants. 1t was alleged that by being thus
fnoculated with the doctrines necessary TO
salvation they would be cured Of the
graver sins incident to human experience
before they knew they could sin ct all.
Another richly suggestive bit of testimony
was that Of man from New Jersey, who
said that he had been converted from
deep-water baptism He evidently
thought that was a miracle.
Seriously, what is the value Of testimony
OF this kind? A part Of 1t contrsdicts
common sense-as when it is declared
deafness, broken arms, or chronic diseases
of long standing have been cured by the
power of faith-and the rest, while credi-
BILE, proves nothing. 1t needs no ghost
to come from the dead to tell US that
If a man makes walking apothecary shop
of himself for twenty or thirty years, and
then suddenly returns to rational and
sensible mode of living II is likely to ,ure
him-if 1t does not kill him, and 1t seldom
does.