The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-12-13

Mark the striking contrast between
the above practice and that of the
| Christian Scientist who with calm as
surance elucidates to his patient the
fact that he is in the very presence OF
| God, infinite Love, and that his rest
| Is in God in whom man lives and
moves and has his being. The patient
Is made to know why and how God Is
ever present and why He sustains His
| creatures and gives them peace at ev-
cry moment Christian Science gives
definite. comprehensive, truthful I'M
| derstanding of God and of mans rela
ton to Him. The patient is thus lift
ed into a consciousness of ever pres
ent Spirit, the infinite good, and this
good overcomes evil according to the
admonition of the Master. Thus we
note that in Christian Science it is
God alone who heals. that Christian
Science heals by the direct influence of
God.
We affirm that neither an honest de-
NAL Of the reality of \disease nor an
assured affirmation concerning the re-
covery of a patient can ever be made
upon any other basis than that on
which Christian Science rests.
We hear it said by all believers in
the mental treatment of disease, that
the importation of hope and cheer to
patient" is a means of great benefit
to him. To this we readily agree
Then, we would ask, what shall we Of
fer the patient as means of general
ing hope and cheer? We might place
him in the midst of beautiful surround
ings and present him with all the COM
forts which money can buy and yet
fail to cheer him, for his experience
may already have been like that of
Solomon, who said, "All is vanity" We
aver that there is nothing SO conducive
of hope and cheer as the abiding con-
seriousness of the constant presence
of God. Such a consciousness affords
lasting and unbounded hope for it is
based upon that which is known to be
immutable and eternal. 1t has been
demonstrated through Christian Sci
ence that hope thus created will do
more for a sick man than anything
| else. 1t has been proved that
the spiritual understanding of
God and man and their rela-
tionship is more practical than
anything in this world. Then why re-
sort to any lesser means? Why depend
upon uncertain human suggestion as
a means of destroying sin and sick
ness when the divine power is more
available, more powerful and more
practical?
An Effect of Suggestion. @
AS he argues, the mental sugges-
zionist holds his patient in conscious
ness as a corporal person, body of
matter. He thinks of him as such and
this amounts to direct suggestion to
him that he is material and mortal and
implies that as such he IS subject to
discord, disease and unrest. On the
other hand the Christian Scientist
thinks of his patients real individual
ity as Gods image and likeness, His
spiritual reflection; and his denial of
sickness is based upon his understand.
4
Such an argument is consistent with
Its premises premises which are
based upon eternal truth.
The thought of the medical practi-
toner, as well as the suggestion which
the act of dealing out drugs gives to
| his patient. is on the exact basis of
the suggestionist, and hence not in
consistent with the practice of the
psychologist. If the doctor gives the
patient dose of medicine, he practi-
cally suggests to his patient You are
material, taking materiality," though
he utters not a word. Thus by his sus-
gestion he intensifies the patients be-
| lief In materiality, especially if there
is any result from his treatment.
| Though the patient may take the drug
with doubt as to its efficacy, if there
after apparent good results are forth
coming, he is thereby convinced that
he had mistaken and that after all
there is something in it, Under such
circumstances matter has become
more real to him. He has builded
higher in material belief and thus has
drlfted farther away from faith in
Spirit as the only real Life, substance
and intelligence. On the other hand.
II the patient fails to obtain good re-
suits through the use of material rem
edies his faith in materiality decreas-
es and he is thus brought nearer to
the truth, for having lost faith in mat
ter. he is more ready to accept that
which emphasizes faith in Spirit. Sim
Harry, he who is apparently benefited
| by mental suggestion is given a strong
er faith in mortal mind and is thus
carried away from his faith in the one