The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1915-05-04

NJ - sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as
white as snow"
IfPASIOR RIjSSEIDi isaiah 1:1S.) He
said in part:
What u man believes or disbelieves
is bis own business, and not subject to
public criticism. But when a number
of people associate themselves, adopt a
name, publish their doctrines to the
world and invite members, their doc
trines are properly subject to public
criticism. They still preserve their in
dividual rights. however. Doctrines
only may be criticised; and these
should be honestly treated, not mis-
represented This applies to every
creed. every cult: and all honest people
should welcome such investigation and
truthful criticism. We assume that
Christian Scientists. therefore, will APP
preciate what we now have to say as
much as, or more than, others. We
trust that we always have this attitude
toward any criticism leveled against
our public teachings. We are therefore
following the Golden Rule laid down
by the Lord. and acknowledged by all.
The growth of Christian Science has
astonished the world. Its teachings
seem to have appealed to a very in
telligent, well-to-do class of people. of
considerable mental Independence, pos
sessed of considerable backbone" So
far as we have conversed with them
we find that physical healing seems to
have been more or less associated with
their conversion to their cult. Either
themselves or their friends have been
healed. Their realization Of the cure
brought them religious conviction as
instead of the doubts and wonder
ments of their previous experiences
The awakening to this conviction that
there is a real power outside of man.
q supernatural power, aroused a re-
Hgious sentiment such as they had
never known before. 1t seems to them
that they have started a new life.
The reason for this. is that nominal
Christianity is merely form of god
nness, without power or conviction.
This form of godliness has spread to
such an extent that the whole world
Is styled -Christ's King
dom. In countries like Great Britain,
Germany, Russia and Scandinavia, APP
proximately ninety-tive per cent. of the
population are rated as Christians,
even though some of these are in pris-
on, some In insane asylums, and some
too young to think at all or be any
thing. In Italy, everybody is rated a
Christian-although amongst some of
the Italians who come to our shores
flourish works of the Devil, such as
the Black Hand, the Malta, etc.
5ewiIdered christendom.
Additionally, sincere class of
Christian people have, during the last
fifty years, been in great perplexity be-
cause of the stupendous nonsense In
termingled with Truth which was
handed down to US from the Dark
Ages. Under the increasing light,
thinking people have not been able to
swallow some of the monstrous state
ments of the creeds as readily as did
their forefathers. The persecution of
Baptists gave place to toleration-that
they might baptize as they chose, even
though their teaching that immersion
Is the door into the Church implied
that all the unimmersed are outside the
true Church. outside the pale of saliva
ton, and hence prospectively subject
to etvrnal torture. Presbyterians and
Methodists, unable to down each other
on the subject of Election or Free
Grace, agreed to Tive and let i've"
The great churches which formerly
prosecuted all others as heretics, for
bidding any to preach except by their
ordinations, gradually found them
selves compelled to desist from making
their tenets too prominent Thus peo-
pie are more or less bewildered as to
what are the differences between the
various denominations; and many con-
clude that the only difference is In
forms, ceremonies, ordinations, etc.
The doctrine that God had foreor-
dained 800 out of every 1000 to an eter-
nifty of torture In fire was gradually
looked at as too horrible to believe.
The alternative doctrine, that God did
not foreordain the matter thus, but
had not the wisdom or power to avoid
such catastrophe for His creatures.
was equally repugnant. AS conse-
Quence, preachers began to tell that
the destiny of the world was not literal
fire, but gnawing of conscience, etc
each manufacturing a He'll in accord
ance with his own wisdom or igno-
rance and to suit his congregation.
Under such conditions Christian Sci
ence was born, and has grown to tt
present proportions. Three things es
pecially favored 1t: ~ its acceptance
OF the Bible; CO its rejection of ever
lasting torment, mental or physical
90 its teaching respecting Divine heal
ing Mrs. Eddy, the acknowledged
head of Christian Science, had keel
mind and considerable wisdom In it
exercise. She would hold to the Bi
BILE, even though she needed to per
vert its teachings. She would no
make her teachings respecting the fu
0kC klAC tOO PAOl1OunCGu 700 aUId2
onistic to other theories. She content
ed herself with vague, ambiguous
statements re the future life. Sh
laid principal stress on healing, ant
settled all doctrinal difficulties witt
the dictum that there is no evil, Their
is no sin, there is no death; that wha
have been called sin, death and evi
are merely errors of the mind.
The very absurdity of some of thes
statements advertised them. Peopl
said, What does 1t mean-There Is N
death, no sickness, no pain, no sor
row, no evil of any kind? Absurd
Later, they said, We viii see how
Christian Scientists explain death
sickness, pain, sin. Thus curiosit,
led them into the metaphysical laby
rinth which Mrs Eddy had skilfull,
constructed Having no intelligen
knowledge Of the Bible, they We're jus
In condition to fall an easy prey t,
Mother Eddy's' errors. If some o
her definitions were fanciful, far-fetch
cd and unscriptural, they were no NOR
30 than the teachings to which peopl
had been accustomed from childhoo
and which substantially claim that tn
more unreasonable and illogical a mat
ter is, the more faith Is implied by tn
believing of it.
c. s. Readers and Practitioners.
Christian Scientists feel what nigh
be termed spiritual pride In connection
with their healing practises and wit
the public reading of the Scripture
and Mrs. Eddy's comments-as mucl
spiritual pride perhaps as Is sometime
felt in other churches by preachers
elders, deacons, vestrymen, deaconess
es, etc. To be lifted from the ordinar.
walks of life to places of distinction Il