The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1914-02-21
COMMUNICATED
to the Idaho Springs Sif-
tings.NeWS

considerable puDi.cl mas pteH CIV
en- to a lecture. by minister OF your
city, on the topic Why am Chris
tau and not Christian Scientist in
which ne assaisd the religious views
OF many ot his fellow citizens. The
gentleman asserted he is Christian
He vehemen ntly declared that Christian
Science is not Christian. The question,
therefore, naturally ar lses-" hat con-
stitutes the term "Christan?' Web
ster's International Dictionary defines
the term Christian" as follows: One
who believes, or processes. or is as
sumed to believe, in Jesus Christ and
the truth taught by Him.
By what token does this critic assume
to read Christian Science out of the
pale OF Christianity? Let him invesu-
gate the religious convictions Of Chris
tian Scientists and he will discover that
they believe in Jesus Christ and the
truth taught by him. He s"iIl also ds-
cover that they cad Gle Christian lives
that they strive hunbly and earnestly
to love God and their neghbors as them
selves He will also discover that -hry
obey the precept and example of Jesus
Christ perhaps more closely than anv
other body Of Christian people on earth
today. They know that Jesus Chris
demonstrated the power OF God as
living pulsating regeneratng force
among men, not a religion of creed and
words but mighty uplifting agency
which ceansed the sinner. healed the
sick, and raised the dead. And these
signs shall follow them that believe, "
SAID Jesus; I'm my name shall they
cast out devils; they shall speak with
new tongues; they shall take up ser
pents and if they drink any deadly thing
it shall not hurt them; they shall Law
hands on the sic.; and they shall re
cover"
Christian Scientists know that Jesus
gave no impossible commands 70,
Christians to follow, neither did he de
mand of them to travel any road he,
himself, had not blazed for them. He
healed the SICK, e TT TO med the sinner,
by the power of God; he raised the dead
by the might Of Omnipotence, and
Christian Scientists are obeying the
Master and doing likewise. This min
ister who so presum otuously would
outlaw Scientists should examine his
own title to the term Christian
to see that it is not clouded.
Does he upde tand God sufficiently
l. -, ~
er? If so, all genuine Christians will
rejoice with him. Ii he cannot, and
is relying on drugs and inert matter to
save humanity from sickness. disease
and death, then by fair logic he can
not rightly assume he name of Chris
iana because he is not obeying the plain,
definite, explicit commands of Jesus.
Jesus Christ used no drugs. He prayed
to the Father to restore sinful and dis
eased men and lead them to God, and
taught his followers that they should
employ the same divine power:
In the face of the imperative COM
mands of Jesus mere protestation of
Christianity avail nothing. ' Faith if
i, hath not works is dead" said St
James, and no assaults on Chistians
who DO the works of Jesus can change
this invincible fact. The failure of
Professionalism to bring again the bless
ings OF primitive Christianity is appar
ent to many disinteres ted observers
Preachers preach but the pews are
empty They talk of the church saw
ing the race while the hospitals contin
ue to fill up. Churches evolve institu-
tional schemes while aim houses. pen
itentaries, insane as,lums continue To
fill to overflowing. They talk loftily Of
social regene ration while the operation
table continues to claim its daily quota
of victims. In the place Of the bread
of life suffering humanity is given the
stone of fmaterialism. Isn't it time a
renaissance of primitive Christian
jty should come? Scholastic theology
has proved itself inadequate. Only
revival of the exact, demon
strsble teachings of Jesus Christ and
the apostles is equal to the task OF saw
ing humanity from mortal ills.
A Protestant minister, awake to the
fact that Professionalism is not meeting
the needs of humanity. has recently
written . we'll known article for we'll
known magazine under the caption,
Must Protestantism, Adopt Christian
Science?" In his opening remarks