Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-10
CHRISTIAN
SCIENCE rs
DEFENDED
FARLOW ANSWERS
QUESTIONS
ARTICLE is EXCEED
INeLY INTERESTING
Light Thrown on a Subject Which ls
Being Discussed by All Glasses
All Over the Uni
verse


of questions constantly arising in the
public mind regarding Christian Science.
| Mr.. Farlow answers these questions in
a most satisfying manner and dispels
much misrepresentation concerning many
fundamental points Of this now world
wide movement.
Since God the infinite, immutable in
telligence, is the only first cause, true
science must be that which emanates
| from the divine mind Since there is
nothing In existence beside God and that
which he has created, there is nothing
to know but Deity and his creation. True
! science then must begin with a correct,
comprehensive, complete knowledge of
God, even his very nature and essence,
and must end with full understanding
of Gods creation, that which is of him.
The basic lesson of Christian Science
is the scriptural definition "God is Spirit
| and every statement contained in the
Christian Science text book, Science and
Health, with Key to the Scriptures" by
the Rev. Mary Baker G. Eddy, is con-
| sistent deduction from said premise. This
| science, therefore, is scientific from a
scriptural standpoint though it may diff
| fer from the more material PHILOSOPHERS
of the age. 1t is but just to state, how
ever, that many modern physicists teach
that all causation is mental. The teach
| ing of Science and Health (page 1861 that
! There is no life, truth, intelligence nor
substance in matter. All il infinite mind
and it's infinite manifestation" is in
strict accord with the teaching of Jesus,
| ''It is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh
| proflteth nothing" If spirit alone ami
| mates, gives life, and matter is altogether
| Improbable, it can have neither SUBJ
! stance, life nor intelligence. Again, Jesus
| declared, "That which is of the flesh is
| flesh. That which is of the spirit is spirit"
The implied teaching of this text is that
| the creation of spirit is spiritual. and that
flesh or matter is not # the spirit. hence
is no part of Gods creation. If it is not
a part of Gods creation (and God is the
cnly Creator), we must admit that matter
was never created, never commenced to
have an existence, and is, therefore, not
in existence.
The abstract statement, 1There is no
matter" needs the fuller explanation
given in the Christian Science textbook.
This teaching does not imply that all
phenomena are unreal anG that man has
no body, but that creation is not what it
seems to that mind which has not been
instructed out of the material and into
the spiritual concept of these All things
in creation from the smallest to. the
greatest are real, but exist as the product
of spirit and mind, and are not material
Matter is the belief that spiritual crea-
tions are material. This belief is untrue;
hence the declaration, "There is no mat
ter" Thus it is noted that Science does
not deny creation itself, but the false.
material concept thereof. The difficulty
with critics in wrestling over this problem
is that they do not perceive what Chris
tian Science gives in return for that
which it repudiates.
Is 1t Christian?
In our consideration of the first dues-
tion we have virtually answered this one.
Christian Science is Christian because 1t
is based upon the teaching of Christ,
"God is spirit" and because all it's con-
clusions are consistent with the teaching
of Christ If to be Christian means that
there is something to do or be beyond
that which we now are there must also
be something to know. That which we
are to know is properly called science
Hence, the propriety of the name, Chris
tian Science. 1t should be noted that
strict adherence, in life and practice, to
the instructions of the Christian Science
text book necessitates the most exalted
Christian conduct This science teaches
that God is good and that man in his
normal and God-made condition is the
image and likeness of God, that the
whole duty of the Christian is to know
truly what God is and be like him. In
treating this subject we desire to answer
few popular questions.
Is 1t Spiritualism?
careful study of the chapter on
Spiritualism in the Christian Science
ton of the principle of this science would
convince any shrinking person that Chris
tian Science is the direct opposite Of
Spiritualism. No one could possibly be
a believer in Spiritualism and a believer
in Christian Science at the same time.
Christian Science is based upon the un-
derstanding that there is in reality but
one spirit-namely, the infinite God, while
Spiritualism is based upon the supposi-
ton that there are spirits many both
good and bad. Mrs. Eddy speaks most
kindly of the honest people who believe
in Spiritualism, but frankly declares that
she is not and never was believer in
Spiritualism.
Are Sickness and Sin Real2
While Christian Scientists differ from
others In their understanding of the ma
ture of sickness, sin and matter they
believe that these exist in erroneous NOR
tai experience and must be grappled with
and overcome through divine power. Bod
lily disease Is as real as a lack of spirit
ual power will permit it to be, while sin
is as real as the sinner makes it by his
indulgences. If in our prayers or medl-
tations God becomes to us Infinitely great
the troubles of earth must become in
finitesimal for though they may be
mountains to mortals they weigh nothing
in the sight of omnipotent God.
We do not look upon darkness as some
thing, but as the want of something, the
want of light. So evil should be under
stood as the absence of good, sickness the
lack of health. 1t is said in the Scrip
tures THE darkness and the light are
both alike to thee" In other words, to
God all is light, and there Is no darkness.
God is not deceived, hence is not in error
in his consciousness of the allness of
light. Mortals in their belief In the pres
ence of darkness and evil are, therefore,
deceived, and need to be corrected in un-
derstanding, need to see as God sees. the
allness of good and the nothingness and
powerlessness of evil.
1t should be noted, however. that this
knowledge must be practiced in order to
break the power of sin and disease and set
the captive free. Mrs Eddy declares in
her text Look, page 3s9; "Only those who
repent of sin, and forsake all evil can