The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-03
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belief in the truths which it has borrowed.
1t has just enough of argument in it to
stand out against the attacks OF pure ma
terialism. There are certainly cases, few
and far between, in which cures almost
miraculous have been performed, through
the influence of the mind over the body.
1t is idle to deny these. or to assert that
telepathy, hypnotism, and even apparitions
have absolutely no existence. But it is
both idle and mischievous to make a gen.
eral rule out Of an exceptional case. The
cnly right view is that large tolerance
which admits and explains the exceptional,
while holding to the general conclusions
established by science. This is the atti-
tude of Mrs. Whitney. She neither en-
dorses nor condemns Unfortunately, and
her argument is thus scientific in the true
sense of the world. In connection with her
Interpretation of the true, original mean
ing of the Lords Supper it may be in
teresting to note that the early Church
did not. apparently, regard this ordinance
, as anything especially solemn or siSnifi-
cant The ceremony was usually conducted
by the father of family, without .he aid
of priest, and seems TO have been merely
sweet and sacred reminder of Christ's
teaching that 1.-The kingdom Of God is with
in YOU" 1t may easily have happened
that, from being a simple illustration OF
the fact that the commonest things OF life
are full of divine meaning, this ceremony
was given formal, literal, dogmaic sig
nificance which did not in the least belong
to it. That is materialism.
In the next chapter are to be found some
pertinent enquiries, addressed directly to
the body of believers in Christian Science,
and they are as nearly satirical as any
thing in the little book is. In the main,
Mrs. Whitney has not employed this some
what dangerous weapon, and there is moth
ing in her work which could offend the
devout. She says:
II you have not got beyond the overcol., and
.he bread and butter, and the roof and fre-it
you still acknowledge cold and hunger, and use
material dei,nce and supply, how can you claim
the advanced control over EXTREMIST physical
agency OF sickness and hurt, and an absolute In
dependence of physical help and healing-or, still
further, the power 10 extend this control over
other bodily organisms than your own
Why, above ALL build costly temples, splendidly
elaborate in material substance-brick, stone,
mortar. and the resin which to teach this re-
nunoiation of the thralldom of things? Why
make false showings of nothing, and pander to
the delusions of mortal belief?
Coming straight TO the crucial point oil the
whole practical quostion-why, after ALL heal2
WHAT is the restoring of the body, and OF what
account? II there is no pain there can be no
welI-beng, positive JOY comfort OF health.
And why do prophets and teachers of a TWEEN
tieth century revelation take money for healing
or Instruction. l. there any lower sign in the
material than money? 1t is not even-as money
a thing, as the Lord has made things and given
them freely to our use. j. is the arbitrary wage
and token of work and claim in things. in all this
so-charged false and evil commerce OF the flesh
The light from heaven comes without
taxation.
And again.
So far as the published teaching Of the new
school is susceptible OF rational interpolation
there fs is
TO bring the average reason TO bear-it seems
10 be therein set forth that not only after find
world, does the inherited perversion of ''be-
Iefs'' beset us, persuading that flesh is sub
ject TO certain material conditions, the last OF
which is its final rendering up Of temporary
nffire-not only are we i'll and DO die, be
cause our fathers made the same mistakes and
left US with the tradition that we must-but
birth. as well as death, is traditional: We are
horn because of an "embryotic belief" Ne
wonder this mortal mind" Of ours is hard
thing TO define. It scarcely seems TO stop
snort OF ure-existent cause.
The theory of Mrs. Whitney is, in fine,
that the physical and spiritual worlds CO.
exist tremendously. in a connection inf
nitely close; that ideas cannot be made
manifest without more or less subtle form;
that this form is not delusion, but re-
ali;y, albeit a reality that must pass
away through continual change. She does
not refuse either the central truths of the
old theology, robbed Of their artificial
trappings. or the systems of the new phi
losophy, provided they are accompanied by
no limiting hegatiohs. she requires OF the
ORTHODOX reader only that ne DO not in
stst on belief In non-essentials and of the
materialist only that he shall not deny the
possibility OF further discoveries in the
line of psychological and philosophical
truth.
The great problem of the present age of
the world is the reconciliation of material
and spiritual laws. The extreme materi-
alist denies the existence of the latter and
Christian Scientist denies that tho material
universe eyis-s and tbns ss Mrs WIFI
n.y sbows nates ,ba low ~ ,ha sr;r;,,,a,
world i,efsec.i,o not IN co.., i,,nos.;hIe
ch,, go.
Is the sign real or shadow? Here arises the
!. snatsNefape qaes'leh' IL pam and death are
-, 10 - "a. n "a ." ,s sut VIA
A del,,sionf Or did lie dtiude The World NV a
OF pain and deatbY One or the other
conclusion. upon the theory that negatives the
material. is inevitable. And in either case, what
becomes ot our belief in this Son OF Man? What
oeeoh's o' ehi's'iah se'ehce'
There is much more Of this keen ques-
tiouing. and calculation of the real In
,.;,h a. r.. ..;,-,- :.
e,,-.ls ''.o'opn' y.
Christianity Asioe from us reiutation OF
the name OF philosophy, the little book is
fnll OF true and beautiful ideas, the
ainna ,,ir mnn " o. ions il,e ~ ., .nouen.