The Minneapolis journal., 1902-11-14
RESPECT The LAWS
Christian Scientists Will Observe
Mrs. Eddy's Injunction Regard
ing Contagious Diseases.
Her Recent Order Is but an Exten-
sion Of Her Utterance on
~. Vaccination.

Christian Science healerse of Minneapolis
will observe strictly the instructions Of
their leader, Mrs. Mary Baker G. Eddy,
who recently ordered, according to a Bos-
ton telegram published in T he Jour
n yesterday, that until the public be-
comes better acquainted with Christian
Science, the Christian Scientists shall de-
cline to doctor infectious or contagious
Diseases
"All the healers are presumed to be
guided by Mrs. Eddy. said Secretary
John E. Playter of the Christian Science
reading rooms, us Andrus building, this
morning "They will therefore not treat
any infectious or contagious disease after
this. But I don't mean that the healers
will call in the so-caled regular doctors.
No, the healers will simply cease all con-
neGtino with a case just as soon as it Is
seen to be of contagious or infectious
character. 49,, ~
But the healers must also notify the
authorities of any case of contagious or
infectious disease. That's required by
the law, and Mrs. Eddy desires that all
her followers shall obye the law. The tel
egram from Boston yesterday included
this: .'
Mrs: Eddy says: ON the subject Of
reporting contagion have this to say: I
have always believed that Christian Sci
entists should be law-abiding, and actu-
| ated by this conviction, I authorized the
| following statement about a year ago:
| Rather than quarrel over vaccination, I
recommend that if a law demands an in
| dividual to submit to this process, obey
the law and then appeal to the gospel to
| save him from any. bad results. What
| ever changes belong to this century, or
any epOck, we may safely submit to the
| providence of God and common JUSTICE -
II would like to say something more"
continued Mr.. Playter, upon the general
attitude Of Christian Scientists toward
| disease and doctors.
| 1T isn't true, as many think, that we
deny the existence Of disease. Disease
| Is fact, disease is real in the ordinary
| sense of the term. 1t would be foolish
to say anything else. But we claim that
the only genuine realities, at the final
| analysis are not all the things that are
| real In the ordinary sense but only such
things as are spiritually good. These
| things come only from God. Disease does
not come from God and is not spiritually
| good. =, Hencet i, is real only in the
| ordinary sense.
| : Our right to treat diseaes is made clear
l by q neditorial in last weeks issue of the
Christian Science Sentinel, one of Mrs
| Eddy's organs. In that issue Archibald
! Mcclellan; the editor, who may be sup
| posed to Speak directly for Mrs Eddy
points out that the federal constitution
provides in it's first amendments, that
|
establishment of religion. or prohibiting
the free exercise thereof. The essentia
provisions of this amendment are repro
duced in the constitutions of the various
states.
"The Sentinel goes on to say thai
Christian Scientists claim that the re-
| ltgion of Christ includes healing Withou
Edrugs or other material remedies, thu:
the right to practice healing is part O.
our religion and cannot be denied to u!
without violating the fundamental law O
the land
7"But the Sentinel also notes an excep
ton: "A different phase of the! question
is presented, however, in the matter of re-
Iporting cases of so=calied contagious dis
| eases in keeping with the law of regula
ton, which subject to the above constitu
tional limitations, has been enacted will
view to conserve the public welfare
: and so long as the law demands that sucl
1 cases be reported, Christian Scientist
should be unfailing in their obedience AM
give the public the benefit of any seriou
doubt which may attend the classification
of disease"
Asked whether the heaIers might no
continue to treat contagious and infec
tious cases without knowing their tru
character, Mr.. Playter replied:
"Of course, that may happen. Bu
even the regular physicians sometime
make mistakes in their diagnoses. Th
healers, you may be sure, will do thei
best to comply with the law. In fact
we have never had but two or thre
cases here in which Christian Scientist
! have had any disagreement with the au
, thorities about contagious cases."