The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-08

at is needless to say that the believ-
ers in Christian Science are very much
pleased with the result. They are proud
to know that the members of the Legis-
lature declined to offer this insult and do
this great injustice to the people of this
State who have an abiding faith in the
tenets and doctrines of Christian Science.
THE Patriot feels free to say, that III
its views, it represents the intelligence
and integrity of Concord, when it COM
mends the Legislature for refusing to even
recognize so unjust and discriminating
bill.
"The founder of Christian Science, Rev.
Mary Baker G. Eddy, makes her home in
Concord; she has done and is doing mu N
for Concord in everything looking to the
upbuildng of the city and its interests;
she has been willing to contribute in
every way that good citizenship can de-
mand or expect.
'',The people of Concord who believe
With her are not PROSECUTING; they are
not urging others to accept the things
that they believe and practice; their
mission clearly is to do what good they
can for their fellow-men; they are all
good citizens, peace loving and law-abid-
ing.
eff there is a healer among them, he
/ is not advertising nor proclaiming his
powers Of combating sickness; he is lot
urging others to accept his as their ply
/ stefan; he goes when he is called, and
/ only when he is called, and surely Amer
/ lean men and American women are en-
dowed with sufficient appreciation and in
! teligence to be permitted to select such
! physical healers as their judgment or de-
sires may advise or suggest.
Like bills with similar intent, have
seen introduced in other legislative bod
| les in other States at other times, but
with the great majority of them the pur-
rose was more or less concealed. This
cannot be said of the measures propos-
| ed by Mr.. Abbott; in this, there was
neither concealment nor deception. The
| ill was directed against Christian
Science and the practice of Christian
| Science healing, and the judiciary COM
mittee. in the minds of an overwhelming
majority of the good people of New
| Hampshire, did what was fair and right.
when it refused to permit even the con-
! sideration of bill so manifestly an
| just.
lnlS paper Is not duNOCctllliS tic CtuoC
nor procIaiming the virtues of Christian
! Science, any more than of any other re-
! ligion. 1t bespeaks for all, at the hands
of our lawmakers, liberal and just treat
ment; the Constitution of the United
States, and the Constitution of every
| State Of the Union recognizes the right
of the individual to worship after the die
! tates of his heart and conscience, and
any effort on the part of religious bigots
| to interfere with their clearly defined
| right is palpably wrong; wrong in theory
wrong in law and wrong in fact.
| IF the believers in the Roman Catholic
! Church were being Disseminated against
| Or a proposition looking to discrimina-
! ton were proposed in the Legislature, We
would say Don't do it If such bill
were directed against Congregational
lists, Methodists Baptists. Unitarians,
! Adventists, Wesleyans or Episeopalians
we would say, Don't do it, and when the
members of the Legislature should refuse
! to recognize such arbitrary measures, we
with thousands would say, as we now
| say, Thank you.