The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1907-01-24
CHRISTIANITY & SCIENCE.

To the Editor The sermon against
Christian Science delivered last Sun
day by Rev. Stull of the Baptist
church opens up questions which Wit
ally affect the integrity of Christian
religion. Any effort to discredit
Christian healing. to belittle the in
finite efficacy of prayer to God. and
the reasonable expectancy Of results
from such prayer in the destruction
of either sin or disease. is in effect
Reputation of some of the clearest
teachings of Jesus Christ and of the
Scriptures.
1t may be offered as argument that
the Christian Scientists pray in a
somewhat different way than do the
Baptists. Perhaps this is true but it
must be conceded in the face of in
contestible facts that their prayers
are answered. that the sick are healed
and the sinner converted from the
error of his ways. Jesus said: "By
their fruits We shall know them
Our Critic dwelt much upon the
supposition that Christian Science is
"unchristian and un-scientific. >"
l will confine my remarks mainly to
these points.
In his remark Rev.. Stuil assumes
that religion and Science are neces-
sarily irreconcilable and that there
exists incompatability between the
teachings of Christian Science as APP
piled TO the healing Of the sick and
those of natural science" with re-
gard to the same. Considering this
subject from the standpoint of the
ordinary presentations of orthodox
theology. there might possibly be a
basis for this position. especially if it
is held to. that man and the universe
are necessarily material. Christianity.
in its broadcast definition. means that
condition of thought which finds it's
expression in tie Individual in those
things which conform in theory and
practice to the teachings. example and
precepts of Jesus Christ. According
to the Century Dictionary. Science is
defined. knowledge. comprehension
or understanding of facts or principles !:
knowledge gained by systematic OBJ
servation. experiment and reasoning !:
knowledge co-ordinated, arranged and
systematized. also the prosecution of
truth as thus known" From the
viewpoint of Christian Science there
exists no incompatibility between
Chr ianity and Science from the fact
that to be Christian in all that it
means. necessarily includes actual
knowledge and comprehension. or
understanding of facts and principles"
relative to the teachings of Jesus
Chlist. 1t includes knowledge and
understanding Of God gained by
systematic observation. experiment
and reasoning and the prosecution of
ascertained truths relative to God,
man and the universe. as revealed in
Scripture. 1t is therefore seen that
L oSC"SSA SL1 4oiOAACy cAhA koClOIlSO as
above defined there exists a positive
unity IN that the one unfolds the COM
pleteness and practicability to mans
use of the other. The teachings of
Jesus Christ were clear concise. raas-
enable and demons trable expositons
OF Truth. therefore scientific. and con-
seauently devoid of speculative by.
potheses. If the universally accepted
definition of Christianity fails to re
cognize the correlation. it is becaus.
of the incompleteness of said defini.
ton and not because of any lack O.
correlation in said teachings. From
this viewpoint of Christianity it viii
readily be seen that the teachings o
Christian Science are not "speculativ,
: philosophy" neither are they "sup