The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-04-05


are accompanied with deep and over
whelming conviction and serve the
purpose of destroying the opposing
evils quite as effectually as the sum
light dispels the darkness, for they
are based upon immutable and eternal
Principle
The basis OF all disease and sin is
the belief that there are other crea@
tors, other powers besides God. There
can therefore be no real cure except
that which destroys this foundation
of the trouble. A. form of mental
treatment which is itself based upon
the same error that caused 1t cannot
cure it. II belief In minds many or
powers many caused the trouble, only
the understanding Of the one infinite
power, God, can cure it. There is
something about the truth which
brings with its appearing a conscious
and conclusive conviction, which be-
gets the assurance that no further in
vestigation on the given point Is neces-
sary; swhereas random arguments
which are not based upon divine prin-
ciple and which are merely the sug>
gestions of what one would have come
to pass, are more or less weak and un-
certain in their results.
This marks the distinction between
the nature and effect of Christian
Science and those methods which do
not depend upon God. The stately
operations" of Christian Science begin
with God. and every argument en-
ployed by the Christian Scientist is
based upon his understanding of i'm
mutable Principle. His effects are,
therefore, elevating and permanent.
The application of Christian Science
must Invariably produce good results
in character because they constitute
a plea which opposes all error and
which is in behalf of the divine will.
A consistent Christian Scientist can
never do anything but good. To do
wrong necessitaties an Immediate de-
parture from Christian Science, and
the institution of human methods of
mental operation. Human suggestion
is unrestrained except by the moral
status of the operator, while Chris
tian Scientist is restrained by the spir-
itual apprehension which governs him
in his method.
The effort to overcome disease by the
exercise of the human will does not
rid one of its cause; 1t leaves the
patient still in the belief that he has
a mind of his own; still without any
recognition of the divine Power, still
without a knowledge of the basis Of
a healthy mental condition. The prac-
tice of mental suggestion leaves the
patient where 1t found him save that
he has an intensified belief in mind
of his own,--the same belief which
constituted the basis of his disease
in the first instance. He is not, there
fore, healed even though his condition
appears to have changed for the bet
ter. He has simply a new form Of be-
lief which must be destroyed in order
that he may have permanent health.
One would not argue that to open
window and let in the sunlight and
dispel the darkness is a method of
mental suggestion, and yet such an
operation exactly illustrates the prac-
tice of Christian Science. It opens the
door of understanding to the sunlight
of God, which destroys evil and dis
ease. 1t is, therefore, manifestly un-
fair to the public that one should
coin a., definition of mental suggestion
broad enough to include the practice
of Christian Science without making
clear distinction between Christian
Science and. those forms OF mental
practice which depend upon something
besides divine Mind to heal.
Healing Inevitable Fruit of Gospel.
The Universalfst Leader Of April Is,
1908, commenting upon the MIND
Cure Department and the schurch. de-
cIares: Tn the end we shall have more
| 5;.aa~a ,,oor-.- -, !, a vrioaSS ,,,1ro voor
dal." No doubt there is peculiar form
OF mind practice which might result in
such an end, but it is not necessary
| for the church to adopt such form.
| That system of Mind healing is most
efficaciouss and commendable which re-
lies most implicitly upon God, and
we assume that the ''Universalist
Leader" did not intend to condemn
| the practice OF an unreserved and un-
bounded faith In God, nor to overlook
the Scrtptural teaching, God is an
ever present help in trouble" nor the
teaching, Because thou hast made
the Lord. which is my refuge. even the
most High, thy habitation; there shall
no evil befaIl thee, neither shall any
plague come nigh thy dwelling" God
| is Spirit. and to dwell In spirit is to
have an abiding consciousness of the
ever presence of Spirit, to understand
that sin Him, we live and move and
have our being" and that we are there
fore safe.
The "Universalist Leader" declares.
For the church to attempt to add to
the cure OF souls the care of bodies will
be a colossal blunder." No doubt the
writer OF this article had In mind that
the physical condition Is or lesser linz
portance than the spiritual well being
OF the Individual. and with this we
agree, but we should not overlook the
Masters promise, "Seek We first the
kingdom of God and His righteousness,
and all these things shall be added I'M
to you" It would be impossible to live
under the government of the INFINITE
good without being afrected bodily, FOR
1t Is a scientific fact that healthy
body Is the manifestation Of healthy
mental condition. The Leader" fur
Their declares, "The healing ministry
OF the early church tapsed for good
and sufficient reasons" We imagine
that 1t would tax the Illuminating capa-
city of the Leader" to it's utmost to
discover what these reasons may be.
| 1t adds that because the Apostles
treated tho sick 10 an argument that
ignores the decisive lessons OF the In
tervening history OF many centuries of
progress and discovery" tTo argue
that we oughs TO re- establish the treat
ment because Ii was an apostolic pFac-
tice Ia to ignore the fact that Provi-
dence itself put stop to the practice
by changing mans conception OF the