The times., 1901-06-08

| impossible TO save him. This was clear
! Iy no defence at ALL The statement
amounted to a virtual admission that
Christian Science would not avail in a
really serious case. 1t directly contra
venes the whole theory that such heal
ing is by divine power" which in the
very nature of things must be without
| limitations and exceptions.
1t proves nothing for Christian Scien-
tist "healers' to point to cases of re-
covery under their ministrations
There are many cases in which people
recover from illness with no treatment
Of any kind. They simply throw Off
the ailment, either by the unusual
strength of their constitutions or be-
cause the illness was not in its nature
mortal. To sustain themselves these
self-styled "healers'' must accept the
challenge that has been repeatedly ex-
tended to them TO test their skill in the
treatment Of specially selected cases.
Let them cure single well-developed
cancer without physical treatment; let
them merely, by mental effort, save one
smallpox patient whose disease has
reached mortal stage; let them unite
an ugly bone fracture by pleading and
prayer alone, and the world will be pre-
pared to concede that there may be
some merit in their claims. None but
the weakly credulous will ever accept
as manifestations of divine power cures
that can only be effected when all con-
ditions are favorable.
But, as before intimated, argument of
such a question is almost useless, and
our purpose at this time is merely to
suggest that in the presence of such a
danger as that presented by the cura-
tive feature of the Christian Science
faith, action sand not argument is re-
quired. 1t is the duty of every com
munity to protect itself with all the
legal force that can properly be brought
to bear Members of the seci may be
allowed TO make themselves the tools
and playthings cf Mrs. Eddy if they so
desire they may contribute of their
substance to make her enormously rich
if they feel it duty so to do; they may
build costly churches and find spiritual
consolation in weird rhapsodies that are
mind; but they should not be permitted
to endanger the lives and the health of
other people under an assumed religious
plea, any more than the Mormon should
be allowed to practice polygamy in the
name of religion.
The law should afford full protection
to the young children of Christian
fcf ar1fS b,r fGEf fTc
necessary, such parents for denying to
the children proper medical or surgical
treatment in cases of illness or injury.
The same rule should be applied in
cases where an adult is deliberately
neglected in like manner by those whose
duty it is to see that proper treatment
is afforded. Especially should the
trifiing with contagious diseases be
promptly and severely punished, and by
every possible and proper method,
fraudulent mental ncstrums for absent
mental treatment should be excluded
from the mails. Such action involves
no hardship upon any honest man or
woman-not even upon the Christian
Scientist; for if there is any efficacy in
the "healers" prayers, their effect can
be in no wise diminished by the use at
the same time of the rational remedies
prescribed by an educated physician.
Any attempt at suppression will. Of
course, be met by the cry of 'persecu-
tion!' That is to be expected, but
persecution that goes no further than
TO guard the health aud protect the lives
of the people is one that is entirely JUS
tifable-even in the United States at
the dawn of the twentieth century.