The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-06-06

denomination in the state of Pennsyl- vania. Why this discrimination? Is it assumed that the prayers of all Chris tians except Christian Scientists are in- effectuaI and therefore, not needful of restraint, or has prayer only recently become unpopular in the courts?
 Our legal friend, noting that his de- cision could mean no less than an in- junction upon praying for the sick, seeks to redeem himself by suggesting that if Christian Scientists desire to pray for the sick they may do so con- jointly with the practice of medicine.
 The gracious reminder that Christian Scientists may pray if they will use medicine at the same time is equivalent to saying: You may swim if you will tie a millstone about your neck" Whatever of inefficacy there may be in the prayers of Christians is due to a lack of the scientific sense of how prayer operates. Prayer must accord with the First Commandment, Thou shalt have no other gods before Me" An important rule in Christian Science
 
 Many patients have been hindered in their recovery because of unconsciously depending upon some material thing while at the same time looking to God as a means of relief.
 IMPLICIT TRUST NECESSARY.
 One cannot have a sufficiently strong faith in God for divine healing while he sr;1 I, ;.. certain and demonstrable as mathe- nautical rule. Our good judge might just as we'll have said: You shall not pray at all'' as to have said, You may pray if you will use medicine" An es- sential part of prayer is implicit trust in God. Prayer must be consistent.
 The decision in question embodies the statement, "The fundamental principle of the teaching of Mrs. Eddy is that what is termed disease has no real ex- istence." I am sure our friend will not be offended if I correct him on this point. That disease is unreal is not g. "principle,'' but a conclusion of Chris tian Science. The basic lesson of this faith is the Scriptural teaching, God is Spirit" The minor premise of the Christian Science sylogism is expressed in the words of Jesus Tt is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profteth nothing"
 The conclusion is that all discordant material conditions are therefore un- real in the sight of Supreme intell- gence, whatever they may seem to mor- tals. The proposition is to make God (Snirit) true. and every man Qess than Gods likeness) a liar" according to the teachings of the Scriptures. Isiah said, "The darkness and the light are both alike to Thee" To God, the perfect One, there is no darkness. God is not deceived, is not dim of vision, hence He sees not the darkness which mortals be- hold and which in reality does not ex- ist.
 So it is with all the mists and dis cords of earth, including sickness. They are very real to mortals in their imperfect perception. In his mental treatment Christian Scientist seeks to understand disease aes it appears to omnipotent God.
 OBSERVE LAWS OF CONTAGION.
 It should be remembered that in their outward department Christian Scien- lists note the laws of contagion and deport themselves accordingly, notwith- standing that in their mental opera tions they hold firmly to the Scriptural teaching, ."God is All in all."
 Mrs. Eddy declares that she calls dis eases by the same names which are ap- piled by others. To assume that Chris tian Scientists ignore disease because they assert that in Gods sight it has no power, is as unreasonable as to sup pose that Christians will be careless in respect to contagious disease because they accept Jesus teaching, "Take no thought for the body
 In respect to quarantine, they do not differ from their neighbors It is not only the practice of Christian Scien- lists to overcome trouble. but they dol- igently labor to prevent it, and on the , basis of this science they avoid the un- necessary risk and extra labor incurred from mingling their sick with others. Like the believers in medicine, they have troubles enough which come unin- vited. While Christian Scientists differ from others in their understanding of the nature of disease and the cause of contagion, they none the less note that these exist in human experience, and must be grappled with and overcome, and that so long as the law of conta- zion remains unbroken those afflicted with contagious diseases should be iso- lated.