The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-06-24
DOESN'T LIKE
TOM MASSON'S JOKE
Boston, Mass. June 6, 1904.

Boston, Mass. June 6, 1904.
| Editor Advertiser: In your issue of
may 22nd you republtshed an article
from Life, signed by Tom Mason,
which contains some very vicious mis-
representations OF Christian Science
and the leader of this movement.
An article of this sort hardly comes
under the head of wit or humor, since
genuine wit must be true to real life
and be devoid of bitterness Col. Hem
ry Watterson of Louisville, Ky, in a
recent address which has been consid-
cred worthy of circulation in the press,
said:
Satire should keep within the
bounds of the probable; wit under the
restraints of sense; and even invective
l-shorn of adjective and verb and strip
ped to the waist-should strike out from
the shoulder to hit only above the
| belt Tie pert paragraph should be
allowed to die natural death. No
| flowers
graph on mother are misleading and
| are based upon false assumption as
to the teaching of Christian Science
which is not that any individual is an
error" though it asserts that the evil
in each individual is error.
1t does not teach that a boy may
cot
silly, unreasonable things, yet escape
the penalty therefor; but, on the con-
trary, it would give him sufficient good
sense to avoid such folly. Consistent
Christian Science practice demands the
most temperate indulgence of matter
possible to ones spiritual status and
such practice would surely eliminate
green apples if there were any more
acceptable food available. This Sci
ence teaches escape from penalty by
abstaining from the cause therefor
Like their neighbors, Christian Scent
lists have troubles enough which come
unlimited. 1t is contrary to their prac-
tise to needlessly incur a battle with
material laws. It is quite as scientific
to avoid trouble as to work out of it.
1t is the mission of Christian Scent
ist to overcome evil with good-not to
do stunts
1t IS natural that as ones ideals be-
come elevated, he should seek to i'm
prove his material surroundings and
conditions; hence "a bath would be
more acceptable to the Christian Sci
enlist than to the man whose desires
are less spiritual, for clean matter is
more nearly the spiritual state than a
filthy body. Doubtless your Scientist
neighbors are quite as clean as others
both in body and mind.
Again, culture is in the line OF spirit
uality; therefore, even more desira be
to Christian Scientists than to those
who do not believe the attainment of
perfection to be a duty. No class of
people are more intensely interested in
individual Improvement in every line of
right; and the sons and daughters of |
Christian Scientists will be found in |
all our leading educational institu-
tons.
The insinuation that Mrs. Eddy does |
not read and write English is either |
based upon misinformation or wilIfuI |
discourtesy. While she has never posed /
as literary prodigy, many profound |
thinkers have pronounced her text
took. Science and Health with Key |
to the. Scriptures a marvellous work
1t is at least unworthy the criticism |
Which this article accords 10 it.
The statement. And remember that !
mother is all in all' is as far from /
Christian Science as night is from day,
since this Science teaches in accord
with the Scriptures, that God the div
inc Mind, is all in ALL" and that there
is no other life, substance OF tntelli-
gence.
Lastly, 1 would say that the insinu-
alton pointing to the mercenary inclin-
alton of Christian Scientists is refuted
by their hberality; and this but fol-
lows the example of Mrs. Eddy her
self.
1t should, too, be noted that what
ever money is paid into tine Christian
Science movement is contributed by
the Scientists themselves, not by out
siders who volunteer to dictate TO them
how they shall manage their own af-
fairs. Therefore. any assertion that
Christian Scientists are weu-to-do
financially can be nothing less than an
that the are pros
ferrous within themselves and not at
the expense Of others. i
ALFRED FARLOW.