River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-04-29

or the Bible: % It's reJecCon Oh ever
lasting torment, mental or physical;
81 its teaching respecting Divine heal
ing. Mrs. Eddy. the acknowledged
head of Christian Science, had a keen
mind and considerable wisdom in its
exercise. She would hold to the B1-
bic. even though she needed to per
vert its teachings. She would not
make her teachings respecting the fu-
ture life too pronounced or too antag-
onistic to other theories. She content
ed herself with vague, ambiguous
statements re the future life. She
laid principal stress on healing, ana
settled all doctrinal difficulties with
the dictum that there is no evil, there
| is 10 sin, there is no death; that what
have been called sin, death and evil
are merely errors Of the mind.
The very absurdity Of some of these
statements advertised them. People
said. What does it mean-There is no
death, no sickness, no pain, no sor-
row, no evil Of any kind? Absurd.
Later, they said, We will see how
Christian Scientists explain death,
sickness, pain, sin. Thus curiosity
led them into the metaphysical laby-
rinth which Mrs. Eddy had skilfully
constructed. Having no intelligent
knowledge of the Bible, they were just
in condition to fall an easy prey to
Mother Eddys" errors. If some of
her definitions were fanciful far-fetch-
ed and unscriptural, they were no more
SO than the teachings to which people
had been accustomed from childhood
and which substantially claim that the
more unreasonable and illogical a mat
ter is, the more faith is implied 10y the
believing Of it.
c. S. Readers and Practitioners.
Christian Scientists feel what might
be termed spiritual pride in connection
with their healing practiSes and with
the public reading of the Scriptures
and Mrs. Eddy's comments-as much
spiritual pride perhaps as is sometimes
felt i'll other churches by preachers
elders, deacons, vestrymen, deacOness-
es, etc. To be lifted from the ordinary
walks Of life to places Of distinction in
Christianity, especially in scientific
Christianity, would surely appeal to
the majority. Once elevated to posi-
tons as readers or practitioners or
healing practitioners, it becomes their
duty Loyalty to support and defend the
system which they represent. And so,
just as earnestly as with other SectS
the establishment and defense of Chris
Still another class is interested, finan-
cially-thOSe i'll control of the Christian
Science literature. 1t sells at good stiff
prices; and anybody questioning the
merchandising of the truth is given to
understand that he is unappreciative;
and with the majority of people the
price regulates the value, anyway.
Is Christian Science Logical?
Having, we believe, fairly stated the
facts and claims of Christian Scientists,
we now inquire whether or not their
teachings are logical. We hold that
they are not, and will endeavor to
show in what respects this is true.
Mother Eddy" striving after a
truth, declared that there is no pain,
no sickness, no sorrow, etc. The truth
she was feeling after, but did not fully
grasp, is that sin, sickness, sorrow,
death, are abnormal conditions. There
could be none of these, except for the
curse that came upon our race at the
beginning. because of disloyalty to
God. We agree with Mrs. Eddy to the
extent that these conditions are not
designed by God to be everlasting. He
does not recognize them as proper for
those in fellowship with Him.
Nothing gives us any reason to sup
pose that they have prisons, insane
aSylumS, hospitals, doctors or Gene
teries in Heaven, where all is perfect
and in fullest harmony with God.
Messiah's great work Of Redemption
will obliterate these unsatisfactory con-
ditions from the earth. Jesus Himself
tells us that their abolition will be the
result Of His Kingdom work of a thou
sand years.-Revelation 2O:6; 81 a; 22:3.
But is it wise for us to say in one
breath that all these will pass away,
and in the next breath that they are
nonresident? Surely we all value con-
Sistency and logic! Otherwise language
would bring us merely confusion, in
stead of intelligence. Let US then say
that. with mankind in proper relation
ship with God, there would be none of
these things; that they exist now be
cause man is out of relationship with
God through sin; and that Gods proyi-
SIGN. according to the Bible, is that man
kind shall be delivered from this bond
age of sin and death into the glorious
liberty Of the sons of God.-Rom. S:21.
In this view, too, we see that the
perfect earth was represented in Eden,
and that eventually Eden will be
worldwide. The perfect race was rep
resented in Father Adam before he
sinned; and through Christ, eventually
the earth will be filled with perfect hui
man beings, such as Adam was Then
whoever will not come into fullest ac-
cord with the Lord will die the Second
Death. Theirs will be periShng like