The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-06-10

large number Of buildings will be erect
ed IN different parts Of the country. At
present there are church organizations
In every state In the union except Ne
vsda; In Alaska and IN every province
Of the Dominion Of Canada except two;
III Mexico, Ia the Bahamas IN England,
Ireland Scotland, Denmark, France,
Germany, HollSnd, Italy, Norway, Swe-
den, Switzerland, India, China, Sand
wich islands and IN Australia The &C
tual listed membership is about 70 900
yet Il Is claimed that for every book
sold there are two or three students
and that the total number of adher-
ents will exceed 100000. These figures
would rank this denomination as eighth
among the religions Of the United
States.
There are several distinctive features
connected with this new denomination
which have contributed to its remark
able growth. One is the reading-room.
Every branch church as soon as it is
able, maintains q reading-room where
the literature Of the denomination may
be consulted and read, and where the
text book and other literature published
by the official publishing house may be
purchased. Often free literature is also
distributed
Another fea ture is the system Of lee
lures established. Each brarch church,
If able, is required to give one free lee
ture annually. The lecturers, men and
women. are chosen for their clear I'M
derstanding Of the principles of Chris
tian Science. and for their ability to
present them. They are always edu-
Gated men and women and are from all
the professions, honorable judges, doc
tor and reverend are titles often found
prefixed to their names.
From the beginning bitter opposition
has been encountered by this denomina-
ton It IS noticeable, however, that
this opposition, in the last few years.
has decreased in many quarters. In
stances are not rare where ministers Of
other denominations have invited the
lecturers 10 use their pulpits, and have
even commended the principles and re-
suits Of Christian Science to their con-
gre cations.
1t has been charged that Christian
Science is a menace to public health
because Of the attitude accredited to
it's practitioners in regard 10 the quar-
antine and treatment Of contag ious
cases and its attempt 70 care for chill
dren. Pains have been taken to inves-
tigate the conduct Of Christian Sci
entists with regard to these matters
and it has been found that the children
Of Christian Science parents ave. to say
the least, quite as strong and healthy
as those Of other people. Or the sub
ject of contagion an authority writes:
Practitioners Of Christian Science are
usually careful in the observance of
quarantine, for they are anxious to
avoid the risk and extra labor which is
incurred by allowing their patients to
mingle with the public. The Christian
Scientist is aware that so long as the
law Of contag ion exists IL cannot be is-
nored but must De wisely dealt with.
When necessary the Christian Scientist
follows the same course which is fol-
lowed by those who believe in medicine,
namely he calls an experienced medical
diagnostician to examine the case, and
if he finds It to be a contagious dis
ease he is cOunselled by Mrs. Eddy not
to assume charge of IT.
cit is affirmed that Christian Scientists
are less liable to contagious disease
than they were before they became
Christian Scientists, and that they
marage contagious cases so success
fully that they have contributed largely
toward minimizing the fear Of con-
tagion and thus toward the abolition of
epidemics.'
Whenever this question of conta gion
comes up, Christian Scientists refer to
the following unequivocal statement bv
Mrs. Eddy: On the subject Of reportina
contagiOn I have this to say: I have
always OelieVed that Christian Scien-
fists should be iaw-abiding and actuat-
ed by this conviction l authorized the
following statement: Rather than
quarrel over vaccination. I recommend
that If the law demands an individual
to submit to this process he obey the
law; and then appeal to the gospel To
save him from any bad results What
ever changes belong to this century. or
any epoch. we may safely submit to the
providence Of God; to common justice,