Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1915-05-07
ANSWERS CRITICISM
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
(By RequesD
Christian Science Committee on Pub
lication for the State of Nevada,
800 Nixon Building.

800 Nixon Building,
Reno, New, April %, 1915.
The Editor of "The Humboldt Star"
Winnemucca, Nevada-Dcar SIR
Though the criticisms of Christian
Science by the Binghampton, New
York, clergyman as reported in your
issue of April 26th seem intended in
in not uAkindly spirit, they show
thorough misconception of what
Christian Science actually teaches and
therefore misrepresent the subject.
Christian pastors should refrain from
public criticism of any religious doc
trines until they have some real
understanding of those teachings. A
real understanding of Christian Sci
ence would involve the ability to
demonstrate its effectiveness. The
fact is, of course, that thousands. who
have been troubled in the past by
these very points which this pastor
brings up, have gone on and studied
until these points have been COM
have had no criticism to offer.
Instead of being convinced that
there is a supernatural power out
side of man." Christian Scientists un-
derstand that this power is supremely
natural. God is infinite intelligence,
spirit, love, and the true man is His
image and likeness or expression. Pro-
ceeding logically step by step from
this basis, Christian Science reveals
the truth that God or intelligence
could create only good or the express
sion of intelligence, since God is "of
purer eyes than to behold evil"
Therefore good is all that is abso-
lutely real-"real" in the sense of
eternal. Certainly this is the exact
teaching of the Bible and in no sense
a perversion.
This, however, is very different
from any dictum simply that there
is no evil, no sin, no death, as our
critic would have us believe that
Christian Science teaches. On page
IA Ct her Message for 1901 Mrs. Eddy
SAYS: do Christian Scientists believe
that evils exists? We answer, yes and
no. Yes, inasmuch as we do know
that evil, as false claim, false entity.
and utter falsity, does exist in
thought; and No, as something that
enjoys, suffers or is REAL. Our only
departure from ecclesiasticism on this
subject Is, that our faith takes hold
of the fact that evil cannot be made
so real as to frighten us and so
master us, or to make us love IL and
so binder our way to holiness" The
Christian Scientist is in some meas.
ure proving the truth of these state.
ments by overcoming sin, sickness,
and death, and he is a Christian Sci.
enlist only in proportion as he is so
overcoming what may seem very real
relatively in human experience with
the understanding of what is absolute.
ly real and true of God and man in
HIS image.
As TO death, let me say first of all
that Christian Science does not de.
clare that whoever dies merely com.
mits mortal error" Such a combi
nation of words would be utterly for
eign to Mrs. Eddy's teachings. A
Christian Scientist does not expect
to get everlasting life; he merely
takes his stand on the teachings of
Jesus that "he that heareth my word.
and believeth in him that sent me.
hath everlasting life," and that this
If life eternal, that they might know
thee the only true God, and Jesus
Christ whom thou has sent" These
statements OF Jesus are in the present
tense and indicate to the Christian
Scientist the need for turning very
thoroughly to the true idea Of i'm
mortal life here and now and for
demonstrating that this true idea of
life, including REALLY no element
OF destruction, does improve human
conditions In every way.
On page 40 the Unity Of Good, Mrs.
Eddy says: ITO say that you and L,
as mortals, will not enter this dark
shadow Of material sense, called
DEATH. ia to assert what we have
not proved; but man in Science never
dies. Material sense, or the belief OF
life in matter. must perish, in order
to prove man deatbless." In raising
Lazarus Jesus understood that Laza.