The Washington herald., 1907-01-20

II is net generally known that Mr..
Charles Klein. The playwright, author OF
The Music Master, The Lion and the
Mouse" Daughters of Men," and other
successful plays. is an avowed adherent
Of the Christian Science doctrine. The
fact that he is Hebrew would seem to
render IL all the more striking; but a
prominent local scientist told a Herald
men yesterday that many Hebrews have
Joined the Christian Science ranks in re
cent years Also. that it numbered among
It's followers former members of nearly
every religious denomination of the civil
lied globe.
1t is said that Mr.. Klein devotes a Ger
tain per cent OF his income TO the ad
vancement of his new faith, and like all
Of its followers. is an enthusiastic sup
porter IN every sense Of the word. He
viii have an article upon the subject Of
Christian Science in the February num-
Der OF the Cosmopolitan. We give ex-
tracts of his testimony Of healing that
was published recently in the Christian
Science Journal: 81 have heard and I have
read many wonderful testimonies Of the
power of Cod TO heal the sick. but I re-
gard my own healing as being far more
wonderful than any Of the cases that
have come under my notice, for it has
lifted me from the very depths Of invalid
ism and despair to the heights Of health
and happiness.
Il was born a jew, and brought UP in
the Jewish faith. but I was unable TO
reconcile its ancient formulae, law. and
symbolism with the metaphysical and
scientific advancement of the age l.
therefore. became, at the age of fifteen,
a confirmed skeptic and as years went
on this skeDticism mellowed into agnos-
ticism. the plane of consciousness on
which Christian Science found me. A
firm believer in evolution, the atomic
theory, &c, I was led by the human rea-
son, and naturally mistOok effect for
cause, pleasure for happiness, matter for
substance, sensation for life; and so in
evitably drffted farther and farther away
from Truth, God. and from health and
happiness. I slid downsthe steep incline
which was Well-WoTn. for I thought, be
Ieved, and acted as did the world I be-
came grossly material and utterly selfish.
Ny highest ideals. my gods. were sue
cess. fame, wealth, beauty in eEternalized
forms (art) ! nourished anger. revenge.
and envy. was easily offended, ard brood
ed over supposed injury ] drank deep
" and often, smoked continuously.
gambled and swOre. According 20 the
worlds standards, I was rated q good
fellow, for I lived well within the pale OF
the civil and social laws-in short. I lived
a conventional life. Thus I went on, life
was one round Of mingled pleasure. pain.
work, play, enjoyment. misery, health
and sickness-making existence a chaos,
a self-evident contradiction. a burden
1 was fairly successful in my pro-
fession chat of writing for the stage).
and had no financial worry, but my
health gave way. my nervous system
broke down, and in a very short time
counted among my assets insomnia, liver
complaint, dyspepsia, nervous irritability.
and constant dread of some impending
danger which made me and my family
exceedingly unhappy, These We're
the general conditions governing me az
the time when Christian Science found
me-"
Mr.. Klein goes on to tell how one day a
friend OF his found him in this condition
and asked him if he had ever tried Chris
ton Science. He argued with him as TO
the merits Of this new faith. with the re-
suit that Klein went to the Office of "a
Christian Science practitioner.
with a marvellous exhibition Of "a
thence. the practitioner gently explained
that God did not create evil and has no
consciousness Of evil. for God is love,
life, and truth, infinite mind and that
the recognition OF this infinite mind would
destroy the false mental pictures that
We're manifesting themselves on my body.
destroying my peace and happiness, and
thus creating all my apparent woes The
word apparent annoyed me- Why ap-
parent? Was I not 10 believe the testi-
mony Of my own senses? To my utter
establishment he replied, No / asked
him 20 explain, and he showed me a
book, the title Of which was Science and
Health with Key TO the Scriptures by
Mary Baker G. Eddy I looked il over
and thought it was sort OF ethical Gull
ture handbook. I said I would investi-
gate it, and I did, a short time after
this, my Christian Science friend went
away, ane ] met another practitioner. a
lady, who treated me for my various all
ments AS I have said, 1 was "a man Of
the world a member of several clubs.
social and literary organizations. and
numbered among my friends many Of the
most prominent physicians, lawyers. and
artists. I was a confirmed materialist.
and yet I make the following statement,
fully realizing the difficulty Of it's being
understood by those who do not under
stand Christian Science"
He goes on 10 explain under Christian
Science not only his own material ills
disappear. but that he lost his desire for
alcoholic stimulanJs; his wife. who had
long been an invalid, was cured. and his
son. who was suffering from painful
disease, was also cured. In conclusion
he says:
When I think Of myself as I was. in
all my falsity Ignorance OF my real SELF
trying 20 separate myself from God and
from my fellOw-man by imbedding myself
in sense; when I think Of the selfish mo-
tives and their inevitable punishments
from which I have been rescued. I feel
so grateful to our dear leader for point
ing the way TO eternal life, health. and
happiness, that I find it difficult to re-
frain from the use of eXtravagant terms
] used to wonder why Christian Scientists
were so pTOfuse in their expressions OF
gratitude, but no longer wonder, in fact
when I think OF what Christian Science
has done for me, and that 1t is through
her we have received this truth, I feel
that her great work for mankind is under
rated rather than OveTTated. / know
that have not yet sufficient understand
ing either 10 realize or appreciate its
greatness.