The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-10-14
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
Champion Comes Forward and Replies to the Rev. MT.
 Brown.
To Editor Journal and Courier:

SSAAAeo iAhAhC Dy l4lC INCNs Y idAl- els T. Brown, of the First Methodist church, from his pulpit, it would seem to hH 71out time for some of the Chris tan Scientists of this city and here abouts, to sit up and take notice. It seems strange that of all the leading religious sects of the day, Christian Science should be the one chosen for a. target for criticism, abuse and cheap ridicule; as particularly demonstrated in the case now under consideration.
 Why should people diligently strlv ing to live better, purer, holier lives and finding in their belief and manner of living comfort, satisfaction and a fuller, finer appreciation of the joys of life, both for themselves and others, why should they not be permitted to go on their chosen way unmolested and unhamperedi And why is it that the aged leader of the rapidly spreading movement, cannot be left alone to con- tinue her life work in peace? 1 To do otherwise is certainly antag- onistic to the teachings of the Bible, the foundation stone for all true relig- ions. And the great aim of Christian | Scientists is to live from day to day ! and from hour to hour, as nearly as possible a real Christian life, as taught by Jesus Christ and as demonstrated | by his example here on earth. l Can a people thoroughly imbued with this Christ-like idea, with their relig
 ion with them habitu2lly, not only on Sunday, but every day, literally all the
 time, do much harm in the world? 1 Why not extend to them the ord nary I courtesies of life and meet them with
 the liberal, Christian, tolerant spirit
 with which they meet others2 Let
 them enjoy their religious belief, which l yields sd much that seems good and
 worth having to them and refrain fram ' attacking them and abusing them and 1 questioning heir slnlty, as does the 1 Rev. MT. Brown when, in his first ser l mon, referring to Mrs Eddy, he says:
 That her Science wars with physl-
 cal science is unquestionably. true as a
 few specimen quotations from Science
 and Health will show, but as to which
 is the truth and which the error in
 the conflict no sane mind should long | be in doubt"
 \ Let MT. Brown make an effort, which
 would appear to lbe necessary, and re- call to his mind the golden rule Let
 us quote it, to make sure: Do unto
 others as you would have them co un- l to you"
 Now, how would the Rev. Mir. Brown N like anyone, Christian Scientist for
 instance, to get up and publicly assail
 his religious faith and honest convic-
 tions, make him a laughing stock for
 an audience, question his sanity, and
 heap ridicule on the memory of John
 Wesley, and keep it up week after
 week, with snappy, cheerful promises
 of more to follow?" As the orator
 says, We pause for reply"
 Of course there can be yellow pulpit
 ism as well as yellow Journalism and
 one cln conceive how a preacher might
 develop an itching for notoriety, or be
 spurred to an unusual, unexpected and
 hitherto undeveloped energy by seem
 ing necessity to stem a tide of deser-
 ton from one church for the purpose of
 forming a connection with some other,
 But the pulpit and press of New Ha-
 ven have been, as rule, perfectly fair
 and just concerning Christian Science
 as well as other matters of general
 interest, the columns of the New Ha-
 ven newspapers being always open for
 the discussion of topics from the var
 ious points of view
 Concerning the arguments against
 Christian Science so far advanced by
 the Rev. Mir. Brown, little can be said
 in a limited space or limited time, be-
 cause he defends his position by duot-
 ing fragmetltary sentences and phrases
 from the Christian Science text book,
 separating them, in many instances,
 from the original context, thereby al-
 tering their real meaning To illustrate let us here quite from MT, Browns sec ond sermon, or lecture. MT. Brown said "When the lecture is finished you will be very glad"
 Now, Mir. Brown said that but it if not to be presumed that he meant that { his audience would welcome the close of his remarks as a relief and with shouts of joy By reading the words as used by him in his lecture, taken in connection with other words, one finds that the intended meaing was that In the opinion of MT. Brown, his hearers { | at the close of his remarks, would eX- perience, not sense of relief. but 9 feeling of gladness, Dec@use they had prof1ted thereby.
 TO go a step farther in illustration: In his second lecture on Christian Scl. ence, MT. Brown stated that he had 7 been told that followers of Mrs Eddy ] could be distinguished from others by the fact that they were sober. An ap- MT Brown said that. but he said 1t in this way
 Last Sunday evening, I am told, that : the followers of Mrs. Eddy in the audi ' ence could be distinguished from others by the fact that when every one else laughed they were sober"
 Elsewhere in a lecture. MT. Brown { said 1t would be easy to show why nc < real humorist could be a Christian Sci { enlist"
 If MT. Brown founded that theory that certain Christian Scientists in hIt audience failed to laugh while listening z to his lecture, his idea of humor must be peculiar one,
 { It is, In fact, interesting to speculate as to whether or not MT, Brown him. seld would laugh heartily upon being told from the pulpit that he was, in his sacred religious belief, the victim oi 'an intellectual blunder so great as tC be grotesue," or, would he hold his 7 sides and go into paroxysms of mirtl ' when told that because he chung to tn, faith which was to him of all things in the universe the dearest and the holiest he was a promising candidate for 8 lunatic asylum
 Perhaps he would.
 Doubtless, the Christian Scientists ! referred to by Mir. Brown were no possessed of a sense Of humor keel enough to grasp the force and poin