The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-17
Christian science Viewed Scientifically.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-SE: From
remarks which I frequently hear. BY men
who have not had scientific training. an,
constrained to believe that few understand
the why and the wherefore OF 'Christlah SCI
ence." As | am rated a, scientist-not by
IN at sect. however-and as ] also have very
dear friends who are active scientists OF the
class in question. know more perhaps about
its inner workings than most people outside
the Thought
The religious aspect offers nothing OF I'M
portance which is new to the religious world
Much OF it, however. Ii new to these follower.
An examination will disclose The TACT that
few Of these people were active. happy Chris
tians before they studied Science and Health
Membership In churches. the holding OF
prominent places on church oomnittees.
even the post Of pastor, are not cratef'on
az to the life within, be 1t remembered.
Most of these men and women have not
been brough up in homes where the peace
and happiness of Christian living were much
In evidence. Therefore 1t Is not strange Una,
thew believe that this key to the 6cripturee
is the only way to obtain Christian comfort
and the more sensible of tn cir numbers' lot
that very reason, will swa low, II they must.
a little gall in order to obtain tho wine.
The healing function, however. Is the moet
attractive one to the class from which its
adherents are drawn.
The secret of success, such as 1t has been.
of this cult, lies in its fallacious logic. Be
cause one is illogical Is not sign that ne
may he ANYTHING but kind and good and pure
NV "Christian Science" friends are "a sweet
and - n ana as honest rs any Of my Christian
friepds but they are illogical man may
he n successful business man, yet be Illogical
he might have been more successful had
he understood more about 10 gic--but dorb'
il there lis a lawyer who has the resgefs OF rs
There is an ex-Judee on their lecture plat
form who is fine orator. but an unsuccessiA'
Judge .,,.. a.. ,e.sd unon .ound reason.
ing. 4 brick building withou, mortar Would
be as substantial as a science without loCs
Tss may BE- a but tSat "e@ %
The sequence Of events is Frequently tafcn
y the % and e e pro0 Of Ssa
these sophists seem to forget that both men
beers Of the premises must be true nSyon'
'' The SCIENTIST will say that a man has =
disease ns that he is cured Of the disease. an
that he took "treatmeni IN fhs interim ns,ro an.
minded. biased and foolish As proof o.
the first statement he will tell you that Ger
tsnd f Il he names the exaet number as hve
| or "seven- or mentions ono or two by name
It is most efficient IN his arsum hents "a; a.
p psce' Could You want any better proof thar
| his word or your own eyes: OF course, you
1 do not doubt that treatment was given s.
The true scep,is tnye;tsa Ting c !, ,sd,
'AGE m msHs 9 the a repo e
consecutive experiments would iced TO be
and not chosen e Gnss 5 5hysc wiI
tabniate some hundreds Of cases. in series
stating the evidences Of disease in eaeh cas-,
as furnished by the patient hi,hseltIealled
opesrSiGo M Nes
ative SYMPTOMS are mentioned mentioned a, as w we Ell
The many OF psde1 9aG III use To-
stetho scope reveals a noise which Is usually
heard In the lungs Of consumptiyes, the state.
%e absent 81 Hs made not the that r.
sussp, evidence ,bS"xs he to oo az ths
slxays Sorps + mind i Is essps5,siiysy
that rse make
" The true soientist reports a series Of cases,
and Soes mot o bs chosc
in the " matter. The "christian Scientist d,
| publishes only successes. and their Jomrno'
and Sentinel are much like patent-medicin'
Nor do the witnesses who testify at tn
Wednesday evening services CORRECT statr-
srH hs sdf tss %esH ss9 TSG2
talk Of demonstrating" on about everythlnG'
from seats IN a street car 70 business trans
smile Of their great advances. as proved hr
successful demonstrations. and forget 0rl'"
READILY their unsuccessful attempts
Let me call the attention OF your readers
too. TO the peculiar class Of people who have
been healed by this cult. Nearly every one
has received at some time the administrators
OF some quack. 1t may have been treat
ment" by some other cult it may have been
"a a consumer OF patent medicines, or as \
patient Of an out-and-out chnrlatan. Mrs
Eddy herself la among this number; ! kno"
personally of many more, Most of the Gus
but OF n peculiar, neurasthenic disposition
and this would seem to furnish good soil ioI
paranoia, as the doctors call II, There ar
ranks. and she will undoubtedly hnd thu
class a hard one to hold, though thgo VII
always be plenty Of new recruits.
NTW YORW luna OH1xYYRD