Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-11-28
Christian Scientists Reply.

| Journal of American Medical Associa-
ton which contains the statement that
| THE Christian Scientists who
| close their eyes to the possibilities Of
material aid, that may often 50 potent
| ly he added to the psyChotherapy they
| are employing, swell the death rate
For the benefit of your readers who
| may have an erroneous impression of
| Christian Science practice, it should
| he understood that Christian Scientists
/ are not opposed to reasonable
| sanitation pure food. and every
| other agent. material or other
| wise. which is of real value in pro-
| noting cleanliness, happiness and
| health. Indeed, Christian Scientists as
| Il class are noted for these very attri-
| butes. Neither are Christian Scientists
| opposed TO medical inspection OF school
| children so long as there is no ten
| dency to compel school children to
| have treatment contrary to the beliefs
| of their parents. The writer knows oil
| children of Christian Science parents
who have beer told to have treatment
| for their troubles, and later, after haV-
! ing had Christian Science treatment.
| the medical inspectors found them to
| be perfectly well. Also, it is the prac-
| tice of Christian Scientists not to al
| low their children suffering from any
contagious disease to mingle with other
| children.
What Christian Scientists, as we'll
as many others, deplore in the attitude
| of the American Medical Association is
| their leaning towards State medicine
their desire to monopoliZe and control
| the entire practice of healing the sick
| 1t. is because every physician employ
ed by the United States Government
| is an allopath. that Christian Scientists
are opposed to National Department
of Health in Washington. Given the
prestige of Federal authority this one
school hopes, in time, to control all
healing systems and to regulate out of
practice every other school which does
not meet with their approval, accord
ing to statements which have been
made by leaders of the American Med
zeal Association. This would result in
a state medicine. which would be as
obnoxious as State religion, and
would rob American citizens of the
privilege of selecting the practitioner
of their choice. That State medicine is
contemplated there can be no doubt
as the following from the Philadelphia
y
missioner Samuel c. Dixon recently
wrote in the Journal of the American
Medical Associations: State compul-
sion. not persuasion, is the keynote of
State medicine. No matter how great
efforts we make to educate the people.
unless we have written law to fall back
on, State medicine, while it may besa
beautiful science. can never be n prac-
4 4. l.. .,al, st,t
all relations of life "
Christian Scientists are not opposed
to the practice of the various schools
of healing and will agree that they
have a right to regulate their own
members, but no one school has the
right to regulate all of the others, nor
has any one school been SO successful
in practice as to say that none of the
others have right to practice. That
Christian Science is successful. often
after every other method has failed IS
conceded by those who have inVcsti-
gated the facts. The following extracts
from an editorial in one of the leading
New York daily newspapers, publish
ed Nov 10, 1872 is timely and substan-
tiates what I have said; 1T was as
serted by physicians and others at the
|
| Eddy that the church which she found
ed would gradually &c out of existence,
| that her personality was the one thing
| which kept il alive. But just the con-
| trary has been the case; weekly the
| Christian Science churches of this
country add to their membership and
| new converts flock to the standard of
| the faith.
| THE doctors and other pessimists
| failed to understand that a great Truth
never dies.
| Christian Science really makes the
| sick we'll A thousand cases can be
| cited in this city in which physicians
| lave given up patients and the heaters
| of Mrs Eddy's church have restored
them to health.
| Doctors for years have been fight
| ing Christian Science. The reason is
| obvious: the healers of Mrs. Eddys
church deprive them of their fees 1he
| open warfare of few years ago, how
| ever. is not carried on at present-not
so openly Physicians have discov-
cred that thinking people take an m
| terest in the science of healing; that d
| sick man does not care what means
he uses TO secure good health If he
can only secure it. Physicians Win
their mysteries, their Latin prescrip-
| tions. their experiments, their many
| useless and costly operations, are
| themselves beginning to realize the
strength of Christian Science, and no
longer dare scott at it. Certainly IL
Christian Science does no good 1t can
do no harm But it does good
Furthermore, Christian Science
! raises the standard of Citizenship. II
makes people clean; they realize that
cleanliness is next to Goodness anu
i that decency and right living go name
in hand with good health and long
life. There are no drunkards among
| christian Scientists; they do not picker
and quarrel They give every one ms
i due and follow the Golden Rule.
/ In conclusion Twould add that Chris
i tian science bears no relation to psy-
| ebotherapy'- mental suggestion, hyp-
i notism, faith cure, etc. which IS the
EXERCISE of the mortal or carnal mihd'
| we read in Romans S:6, For TO DC
.earnslly minded is death; but to DC