The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-19

hill was not right and that the legal
roints in IL should cause its reference
70 the Judiciary Committee. The prac-
,ica of the Christian Scientists, he said,
was their religious belief. and that the
lord God carried this into effect. Dur
inc his speech there were many spirited
messages between him and DR.. Alexander
and DR.. oRiddick of the committee.
During the progress of Mr.. Bushels
argument, MIR. G. A. Phillips, of Wash
ington. was called on to tell of the value
of Christian Science healing. He told i'll
plain arid direct fashion, how his wife,
suffering from cancer. given over as in
durable by physicians at Washington,
and at Baltimore had been entirely re-
stored to health by Christian Scientists.
Mr.. w. w. Clark, of New Bern, next
spoke in opposition to the bill. He dis
cussed the legal points of the question
and held that the passage of the bill
would affect some Of the inalenabie
rights guaranteed the people under the
constitution. The passage of the bill,
he declared, would be blow to the
spiritual belief of the Christian Scien-
lists and he urged that the bill should
not be passed.
Judge r. b. WomaCk spoke for the
Christian Scientists, saying, however, that
he was not a believer in it's tenets He
said that Nebraska alone of all the States
has passed hostile legislation. He urged
that prayers to God for the recovery
from illness did not need can examining
board to pass on the efficiency of these
people to cure diseases No eXigency
called for the passage of the BILL which
he said was a drastic one, requiring peo-
pie who did not use medicine to pass a
medical examination, against which the
decisionss of the Supreme court stood.
He made a strong argument against the
passage of the bill.
Here followed a direct appeal for an
unfavorable report on the bill. 1t was
from Miss Mary Hatch Harrison, who
made profound impression. She spoke
in a low, gentle, sympathetic tone of
voice and the Senate chamber was in en-
tire silence as the members of the com
mittee listened to her.
Replying to a request from the COM
mittee to speak the matter, Miss
Mary Hatch Harrison said:
THE science of God must be perfect
science. is perfect science, the Christian
Scientists are not establishing in the
way of competition a system Of healing
They are pract;cing the message of God
through Christ to man. They are learn
ing hourly to live nearer to God, and to
benefit man in this effort. Mr.. Chair
man, l can truly say l have never heard
a Christian Scientist speak against the
physicians. 1t would be useless should
our religion allow it. It is we'll estab-
lished. We do not compete with it. 1t
is as separate from our task as earth
from heaven. They do not touch and
never will.
1--WE leave you and the lawmakers
of North Carolina to yourselves. We
come as a body simply to ASK as our
counsel has said, to be left alone. We
ask no favor of this assembly, but the
privilege of living as we are taught by
God It is a simple request at your
hands for the Womanhood of whom God
first spoke through our leader Mrs. Eddy,
and for the wemanhood of North Caro-
lima which is represented here from Bun
combe to Craven; for the manhood which
has chosen to come with us. We come
rot to wrangle but to manifest the spirit
of Christ. All we ask is not to be hurt
by those who should protect us.
Science it is useless for me to speak l
am not here to convince people they
should be Christian Scientists, l am not
here to ask anyone to consider this sub
ject; | am not here to convince the doc
tors that they are wrong and that the
Christian Scientists are right. 1 would
not if l could That motive of a mans
heart that is not led by God is unstable.
III CT
1T were useless to say that Christian
Science does not heal and with due re-
spect to the superintendent of Health of
North Carolina, when he accuses us of
being a menace to the health of the peo-
pie at large, / ask are the teachings Of
Jesus Christ demonstrative through faith
which heals, menace to your people,
from which they should be protected. If
so, drive us out; if not, all we ask IS
that every law that can be made in this
State be made to protect the medical
profession, to establish it, and to pro-
tect it from every quack.
1--WE will take you hand by hand and
urge it as a class but do not tell us
we cannot pray without being scoffe4
at. Do not tell us we cannot heal the
sick. You have been told here that cases
diagnosed have been healed, l. myself,
am a case that was diagnosed by DR..
Porter, of the Massachusetts General
Hospital as incurable / am today a
perfectly well woman, all through the
understanding of Christian Science, and
here in this assembly tonight among
Christian Science people there are those
who stand healed of almost every
known disease.
"The principle of Christian Science APP
plies from a finger scratch to the last
enemy, else it would not be of God.
at seems strange that we should be
so misunderstood and yet it is only the
nature of every step nearer God and
we wait on Him. I would like to say
to this assembly was asked if we were
tc have outside legal talent to fight our
battle | said mo" Christian Scientists
in North Carolina are North Carolinians.
If the legal profession OF North Carolina
cannot sustain it's laws if it cannot pro-
tect citizenship, if it cannot regulate It's