Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-24


seems to be proved by the figures shown
in the statements.
Comparative Cost
Each statement gives the cost OF med
ical treatmer' incurred by the patient
before Christian Science was resorted to,
and also the cost of the latter treat
i..ent. The difference Is very great in
every case. In seventeen cases OF rheu-
matism the total cost of medical treat
ment reaches the sum of $30S5. Christian
Science treatment, by which in each case
a cure was effected, cost s224. Medical
treatment in sixteen cases of tubercu-
losis cost altogether s4700; Christian Sci
ence treatment totaled $334. In thirty
three cases of stomach trouble medical
treatment cost $9049; Christian Science
treatment for the thirty-three patients
cost $504. And in seven cases OF heart
disease medical treatment cost $SS0O
while Christian Science cost Slb2 In
many individual cases the total cost OF
Christian Science treatment was only $5
as compared with few or several nun
dred dollars for medical treatment
Where the sums of three and five dollars
are mentioned for Christian Science treat
nent the cost represents the amount PAID
for the Christian Science textbook.
The statements also give in compara-
tive columns the time of treatment passed
tian Science. Striking an average, III
the classification of rheumatism just
cited, the patient under medical treat
ment for over five years was cured IN
less than two months by Christian sci
ence; the tuberculosis 5ufrerer iaiieo
under a four-year medical treatment ana
was ostensibly cured in four months py
Christian Science methods. The average
period of Christian Science treatment Is
less than one month. In many state-
ments it is put down as one day, or even
as less than an hour.
It will be noted that a large proportion
of the cases cited In both of the ABOVE
reports are patients for whom no nope
was extended by medical science. Inc
mass of the patients statements pears
out the same proportion; the majority
are "lost hope cases, many Oh wnlch
had extended over many years ana IN
which. from the symptoms cited ana from
the numerous diagnoses by eminent pny-
sicians there could be scarcely any DOUBT
of the nature and extent of the disease
Can Mental Force Cure Disease?
There ere other indications. besides
Christian Science, that the trend OF the
day is toward the mind as power III
healing. Medical science Is recognizing
this factor more than ever. A Chicago
physician, as an instance, has just pup-
iished a book In which he ascripes all
diseases as of mental causation. An
other recent volume by DR.. c. w. Salee-
by. entitled worry, the Disease OF the
Age" has caused widespread comment
in England. Some passages in the
book are, perhaps, open to question--it
is customary for the ardent scientist TO
carry his theories too far-but many
pas sages are startling enough, and all
In all the book Is quite convincing ana
at least very bracing. Peace of mind,
says DR.. Saleeby, SIS the sine qua non
of health. Fear and worry beget ana
attract disease" Even infectious dis
eases tend to seize upon those who FEAR
them and to pass over those who keep
their flag flying" The use, he insists,
of alcohol, opium, cocaine, morphine,
chloral and other stimulants, Is not due
to the victims taste so much as the
overwhelming desire for peace OF mind
And this eminent authority concludes:
'It Is certain-beyond question-that
true religion Is cure for worry and
utterly Incompatible in Its power OF
performing these functions"
The question SO often asked: what
has occasioned the remarkable growth
of Christian Science?" finds limited an
swer in these statements and accredited
reports in the New York record.
In every cure the patient turned to
| Christian Science as a hope of relief
| from pain and debility. In many cases,
| as has been pointed out, this was done
when life or health was despaired OF.
| In many cases the patient was
prompted to make the trial because of
| some cure of which he had heard. In
other cases friends induced him to try
| the new faith; in some instances he had
simply read of Christian Science.
| In every case conversion came with
relief from suffering, and with CONVEX
sion Of such q nature comes naturally
faith and devotion such as no other
church enjoys from its followers.
Physical salvation is followed by
supreme spiritual elevation, together
with an ardent spirit Of evangelism, so
that the Christian Scientist feels that
he has not only placed himself upon
the frmest of religious foundations, but
he feels also prompted to become an
ardent issonar.- in new, and to him,
an inspiring field.
With Health Comes Happiness
Along with health and the firm belief
that it is to continue unimpaired arise
confidence, brightness of mind and
greatly increased activity. Thence
naturally follow happiness and pros
perity two chief possessions which
characterize every Christian Scientist
congregation and<which must be mani
fest ~ every one. From my own ex-
| perience as an obserover purely I am
forced to believe that wealth has not
| been attracted to the Christian Scien-
tist church, but rather has been created
| in 1t as the fruits of its principle.
Today there are at a conservative
estimate fully $4,000 people who rely
wholly upon treatment by Christian
Science in the state of New York alone.
| From these figures the number of
Christian Science patients throughout
the United States may be approxi-
mated. Perhaps half million is not
an excessive estimate. From these
| figures, too, and their remarkable rate
| of increase year by year, the future of
the church in America and throughout
the world may be approximated
In an age where there are so many
| influences tending to pull down and
destroy the social fabric and the body
polite, one which makes so forcefully
and vitality for good citizenship merits
consideration, whatever may be our
opinion of it's philosophy. The social
| leaven of these thousands of clean liv-
t. Al