Albuquerque morning journal., 1907-07-25
SCIENTISTS TAKE
EXCEPTION TO
SERMON
REPLY TO RECENT ADDRESS
By REV. HUGH A. COOPER
Discussion Of Christian Science
by Prominent Albuquerque
Minister Calls Forth an An
Swer From Boston.


o-ice Of the Committee on Publica-
slon Of the First Church of Christ.
scientist, Boston. Mass, July 90.
Editor Of the AIbuaneroua Morn,r
journal Albuquerque, N. M.
Dear Sir: Your issue OF July 8 re-
ports a sermon by Rev. Hugh A.
cooper, in which Christian Science is
discussed at some length.
VIII not trespass upon your space
or generosity to ask for as many col
umns as were accorded Mr.. Cooper's
sermon, nor will I attempt to answer
ms statements in detail but with your
permission will notice briefly one or
two allegations
pr Cooper misses the point and
shows that he does not fully under-
stand Christian Science when he says
that Christian Scientists place an em-
phasis upon mind and that the cult
mas helped people to recognize the In
1luence OF the mind on the body" 1t Is
not the primary office of Christian
Science TO lay emphasis on the ac-
uVity OF the human mind nor to call
attention to the relationships which
exist between this mind and the body
II constructs for itself, or. to use a
popular term, the body which II in
habits.
N The fundamental teaching of
Christian Science is that there Is but
one mind-inflnite eternal and good.
This mind Is God. Upon this premise
Christian Science builds its logic as
to matter. sin and disease. All teach
ing as to the material mind and ma
terial body Is incidental to the great
fact of the supremacy of the Divine
Mind or God.
1t Is said that Christian Science
''repudiates the fundamentals of the
Christian religion and that 1t prac-
tically denies the Bible and repudiates
of cross of Christ. What are the fun
damentals of the Christian religion ?
The various dogmas which have en-
bodied themselves within the last few
hundred years in many Christian
sects are not the fundamentals of the
Christian religion. These are very
simple. Jesus said that all the law
and the gospel was summed up in two
commands-to love God supremely
and to love ones neighbOr as oneself
The fundamentals of the Christian re-
ligion. take 1t. we may find in the
only sermon Jesus Is recorded to have
preached, the Sermon on the Mount
Christian Science in its theory and
practice does not repudiate these fun
damentals, although 1t does differ, al
times radically, from the dogmas
which have grown up in the Christian
church since the time of its founder.
DR.. Cooper has not read Christian
Science literature very carefully or he
would not say that Christian Science
''makes its devotee say he has nc
body" Christian Science does moi
abolish mans body. nor is II philos-
ophy of annihilatlon. II teaches thai
man has perfect body since he Is
made in Gods likeness but inasmucf
as he lives, moves and has his being
in God. who is Spirit, II an not prop.
erIv be maintained that he also lives
moves and has his being in matter
which is not God and which is no
Spirit
our reverend critic says that goot
Thoughts are beneficial up to a GER
tain point, but that they have theii
limitations, that no amount OF though
Will set a broken leg or restore thu
crushed hand It would be interest
ing to know how ne would account fol
Jesus healing. If Jesus did not hea
by virtue OF His good thought, how
did He accomplish His cures! He di'
not manipulate His patients, He di'
not prescribe drugs nor did He per
form surgical operations, and yet III
restored the withered arm, heale'
paralysis and palsy and raised tn
dead How does Rev. Mr.. Coope
suppose this was accomplished
Christian Science teaches that II wa
the mind Of Christ which healed an,
He himself said. MY Father worketl
hitherto and | work."
Mr.. Cooper says he does not belev
that attenuation OF thought woul'
ever save a child from diphtheria o
scarlet fever. I suppose By that NJ
means that he does not believe ina
aplrltual remedies are adequate Z
protect children from the ravages Q
these diseases. The fat is that Chris
tian Science has healed many sucl
cases.
REV. Mr.. Cooper says that there
no scrlptural authority for believlnl
that spiritual power Is an effleaclou
remedy or preventive. How does n
account for the story Of the Hepre.
children who were cast into the neI
furnace? n he believes this story an
teaches Il. he must account for y u
some way. What preventive ala pan
III use when he was cast into IN
iiof.s den7 There is ample serlptur
al authority for believing that tai'h
upo~ctsfks, TnOgTRLEs.