The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-04-15
Christian science and the Clergy

At session Of the New York Confer
ence Of the Methodist Episcopal Church
last week, Dr. James N Buckley had
this TO say on the application of one
s z. Simons0n, a mission worker who
has embraced Christian Science. for
4 Recommendations
Christian Science l. not to he opposed here
because It Is absurd. but because i Tidicules
and denies all other doctrines: even TO tEat Of
morals. for which The Methodist Church stands
j denies the personality OF God II denies the
deity OF Jesus Christ ] regard It as one OF
the most subtle forms OF hercsy with which
the Church has had TO contend since the third
century
To those who do not accept it as . gospel
it offers healing. to those who uiH not accept
il as a system Of healing II offers practical free
nature Of sin and the idea OF personal repent
auec-
a mysterious mental or moral change must
have come over this man II you declare this
not 10 be 50 you knock out the whole fgunda-
ton which stand. man ia this state
OF mind if allowed to remain with Us, would
be curse to our denomination"
There is IL these remarks q refresh
ing contrast to the sIipshod and timid
hesitancy about affirming matters OF
faith, which Is exhibited by many cIer-
gymen Of today. This man evidently
knows what he believes, and is not
afraid to say 50. He does not. after the
manner Of the oId-time heresy- hunter.
declare that his erTing brother cannot
enter heaven, but he does affirm. most
emphaticaIly, that such a one has no
business in the Methodist Church.
The reaction from d sterner and mar
rover theology, which is just now at its
height, makes many people so afraid Of
being considered old-fogyish and IN
charitable that they fail to see that
there are limits to the extent to which
compromise can be carried. It is not
only absurd for q church to include
within its membership several hundred
people Of whom not ten per cent really
and Thoroughly believe what they pro-
fess TO believe. but 1t is dishonest PEG
pie have E0 business TO be trying 10
play two games at once. They should
not subscribe to a creed which they
cannot honestly accept for The sake of
the social position it viii give them. or
because they want in a general way to
be good. or because they wish their
children 20 have respect for religion, or
for some other reason. good enough in
itself, but not good for the use to which
they put It
DIR. Buckley seams to be sensible of
the inconsistency Of a gentleman who,
while subscribing to doctrine which
subverts not only common sense. but
the foundations Of morals (for which.
as he very properly remarks, the Meth
odist Church stands. still has q sneak
ing fondness for his old associations.
and wishes his brethren to assure him
that they still recognize him not only
as a Christian. but as a Methodist
which he is not In expressing his pos
tive views on this matter DR. Buckley
may incur the odium which attaches To
a heresy- hunter. But there IS a mighty
difference between the old time inGuIsi-
tor and a modern clergyman who mere
ly insists upon h.nesty and accuracy in
matters Of religion. The former tried
to force people into the acceptance of
certain forms. and refused TO allow them
the commOnest rights Of existence, OF