The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-06

to the Tribune and publication re-
quesfed In that paper, but it was refused
for some unknown reason. The Christian
Scientists feel as If they ought to- nave
a. hearing somewhere when their system
of belief is attacked and have asked
T b 9 journal to give them "a chance
to make their defense:
Editor of the Minneapolis Tribune-For
some time you have been weekly publishing
articles written by Marion ID. Shutter, D.
concerning the relation OF the human mind 10
the human body and concerning the teachings
OF the Bible upon this subject. Although mel
Their the word Christian Science nor the name
Mrs. Eddy has appeared in these articles, yet
all systems Of mind healing are therein clas-
sified and discussed, and as a matter OF course
the general public, has interpreted much OF
the language used as being intended to apply
to that. particular system OF mind healing
which is an essential part of the religion
known as Christian Science, and (which alone
has attained in this community such recoSnl-
ton and acceptance among all classes OF cltl-
zens that it has again and again been talked
against and preached against by leading clergy
men of other denominations. Moreover. the
writings of Mrs. Eddy have been quoted and
criticized, thus showing that this same sys-
tenn of mind healing which has been weighing
heavily upon the thought of some other cler-
gymen was not by any means absent from Dr.
Shutters thought when he wrote these artl-
cles. In view of these facts, am confident
you will willingly give space and equal prom
inence in your columns to this defense Of
Christian Science, which, however, to avoid
trespassing too much upon your courtesy can
| merely touch upon only a few of the more
| important branches Of the subject.
! The first tenet of the Christian Science
| church is found on page 1873 of the Christian
Science text book, "Science and Health with
Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker G.
Eddy, and is as follows: AS adherents of
Truth we take the inspired Word of the Bible
for our guide to eternal Life. IN the study
Eof the Bible, we welcome all the light thrown
upon it by modern scholarship and We accept
the teachings CT the Bible in their entirety,
neither isolating texts nor distorting them to
conform either to creed or to preconceived
| theory of theology, of philosophy or OF medi-
J cine. We take the Bible to mean what it
says, in it's simple and natural meaning, al
ways applying the rules Of rational interpre-
tation, which necessarily include a careful
study of the context and of all correlative
! facts Thus understood, the Bible teaches a
philosophy and religion the most logical and
consistent that the world has ever known.
This being so, Christian Science is the rel1-
gion of the Bible, as taught and explained
by Jesus Christ. criticism OF Christian Sci
ence is, therefore, iDso facto a criticism OF
[ the Bible and of our Savior. Although at first
this necessary consequence may not always
| be clearly apparent yet Jesus has sald
"There is nothing covered that shall not be
revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
| In the present instance this has been MADE
unusually clear; for need only mention the
article of Dec s, to call attention to an estl-
mate of the Bible and of our Savior which
would scarcely have been expected from the
tpen Of "a Christian minister OF this l will
| later speak more at'length: r. :. .-at.-.....
! The fundamental error OF DR.. Shutter in his
estimate of Christian Science is his failure to
| recognize the essential distinction between
| the human mind of mortal man and the int1-
mite mind which is Cod TO heal by the pow
| er of the human mind is .to&use hypnotism; to
1 heal by the method, of Christian Science,
| which is enlightened prayer to God, is to
realize practically the. truth of Gods WORD
spoken by the mouth Of the prophet, I'VE shall
seek me and find me- when We shall search
| for me with all your heart" The method
| of hypnotism is mental suggestion; it is one
human mind taking eontrol of another, either
! with or without that others knowledge and
| consent, and it is successful in accomplish
! ing It's purpose, whether that purpose be for
| good or for evil, just in proportion as the
Icontrol of the one mind by the other is abso-
| Lutte and complete The human mind so con-
! trolled by reason, of such control ceases, to
I a greater OF less extent, to be a free moral
! agent. being domiiatedi by the other human
mind, which thus, assumes control. The con-
troll is more or less ,despotic, according to the
|
| nant mind and according to the greater or
| less susceptibility of the mind SO dominated.
AS this practiceAs persist ed iIj the control OF
1.-THE one mind over. Che other becomes greater,
until in some cases Eit1results in complete
mental slavery. 1t is claimed that susceptible
| ity to the Observation-Disclosures is SO great with
| some people that they can even in the first
instance be hypnotized without their consent
land against their will. 5{St ~
Hypnotism is ayowedly practiced by some
physicians for the alienation of pain or for
1.-The cure of diseases; but, by whomsoever it is
practiced, human nature being what it is,
can we regard such control Of one person by
another as a wise or safe practice In any
case? Does not the danger of misuse exceed
| the possibility of good results?
Christian Science teaches that hypnotism
is always an evil and should never be prac-
| ticed nor submitted to. The practice OF hyp-
notism If proved, would be sufficient cause
| of expulsion from ia Christian Science church.
I Not only is Christian Science antagonistic
| to hypnotism. but the practice Of the one is
| inconsistent with the practice of the other
A person who is practicng hypnotism is in
| capable of practicing Christian Science, and
| a Christian Scientist who should attempt to
practice hypnotism would of necessity lose
| his ability to practice Christian Science. The
Apostle Paul says ''the carnal mind is en-
! nifty against God: for 1T is not subject to
| the law of God, neither, indeed, can be-
| Christian Science treatment is as before
! stated, enlightened prayer to God. 1t de-
| mands utter self abnegation and implies abb
! solute reliance upon God alone. Just in pro-
| portion as one relies upon the human will
| Goes he trust more in self and less in God
| True prayer is communion with God; 1t is
that unfaltering reaching out to God alone
| which is Christ's method of meeting every
human need.
The prayer Of Christian Science is not one
Of blind faith; it differs essentially from the
faith cure alluded to by DR.. Shutter. In
other words, 1t is not blind pleading with
God who has either sent or permitted to
be sent, evil upon His child, and who is
thus sought to change His eternal purpose,
and stake away at least a part Of this evil
for which, being all-powerful He alone Is
responsible. No! It is the prayer of one
who has learned that God is good; that God
creates and permits only good, and that,
God being the only Creator whatever Of evil
appears to us is only our temporary mistake,
which will disappear from our lives when,
like Enoch, we learn to walk more closely
with God. The Bible tells us that .'God is
of too pure eyes to behold evil.'' John says
"God is light and in Him is no darkness at
all :" AS light destroys darkness, so God de-
stroys all evil, not by special providence, but
by His universal and unchanging law, the
supremacy Of good.
child to his heavenly Father Of whom Je-
sus said, Whatsoever We shall ask the
Father in my name He will give it you.
Ask, and We shall receive. that your Joy may
be full" In the first chapter of James is
described the manner of prayer: 'Let him
ask In faith, nothing wavering. For he that
wavereth Is. like wave OF the sea driven
with the wind and tossed. For let not that
man think that he shall receive any thing of
the Lord" The faith however to which this