The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-09
LETTERS TO EDITOR
Defense of Christian Science
the Editor of The Age-Herald:

To the Editor of The Age-Herald: Dear Sir: have recently been reading pr. George Eaves' article in The Age Herald of February s. entitled. "A Churchman and Christian Science" I have not read the article. "A Church. | man. wrote, but have been a student of Christian science for some time, and a careful reader of the periodicals published | by that denomination and | am in doubt whether "A Churchman" be very | advanced student of the faith he writes | about if he attacks any ones religion l In all the articles I have read by accred- I tied members of the Christian Science | church. only the most kindly and toler- l ant spirit has been shown. Many testi- monials of healing speak in very appre- ciative tones of the medical men under whose care the writers have been and whose services unfortunately were of | no avail.
 l The term real seems obe great stum- bling block to all who have not studied | Christian Science Christian Science teache | teaches that the carnal mind of man
 makes sin and disease appear real to sin | ners. Mrs Eddy page 460 of Science l and Health" says:
 | Sickness is neither unreal or i'm 1 aginary--that is to the frightened, false
 sense of the patient. Sickness Is more 1 than fancy; it is solid conviction. Ii Is therefore to be dealt with through right
 apprehension of the truth of being" | The Christian Science attaches the meaning of eternal fundamental like God l to real 'Science and Health" clearly and ] logically explains that from the mortal | point of view, matter, sin and disease are l relatively real, but that the only absolute
 real is that which is eternal. and belongs to the klndom of God.
 Mrs. Eddy on page A4 of her book also l writes: Students are advised by the author to be charitable and kind, not only toward differing forms of religion
 andl medicine, but to those who hold these I differing opinions. Let us be faithful in pointing the way through Christ as we | understand it. but let us be careful to l judge righteous judgment, and never to | condemn rashly "Whosoever shall smite l thee on thy right cheek. turn to him the
 other also. That is. fear not that he will | smite thee again for thy forbearance. If | ecclesiastical sects or medical schools | turn deaf ear to the teachings or Christian Science. then part from these opponents as did Abraham when he parted from Lot and say in thy heart | Let there be no strife, l pray thee. be-
 tween my herdsmen and thy herdsmen, for we be brethren" Immortals or God s | children in divine science are one har- monious family. but mortals, or the l "children of men, in material sense are discordant and oftimes false brethren I have no desire to belittle the work done by many noble doctors and nurses, but hundreds of thousands of many creeds and professions have testified to the help, spiritual and material, they have received from the ministrations of Chris
 tian Science
 Christian Science treatment consists Of prayer in the highest sense of the word. and not of the repetition of words or the use of formulas Prayer In Christian
 Science is listening to God: it is learning to understand what God does; He who
 continually holds perfect his creation. His
 expression which is as spiritual as Him
 self. Christian Science teaches that the office of prayer Is not to change God. the | All wise or to eStort n blessing which
 he would otherwise withhold. but that the only object of prayer is to change men and to make them more conscious of dod
 and of the spiritual man in Gods image
 and likeness.
 It is true Christian Science never built an hospital It Is also true that Christian
 Science has saved very many from the
 necessity of going to one.
 The governor of state recently thanked the Christian Scientists for their gener- ous contributions in aid of flood sufferers
 Yours truly, W. II. DORCHESTER.
 Pratt City, March 6. 1914, 60 Highland | Avenue.