The Washington times., 1915-05-03
Takes Issue With Pastor Russell.

To the Editor Of THE TINES:
Pastor Russell was quite right in as
suming, when composing the discourse
| which you published on April 26 that
Christian Scientists are not aVerse 10
| truthful criticisms. 1t should be noted
however. that a criticism may be SIN
cere, but not intelligent; and honest. but
| not truthful.
| Pastor Russells main criticism or
| Christian Science centered about the
statement that Mrs. Eddy "settled all
doctrinal differences with the d.ctum
that there Is no evil. NJ sin. no death:
that what have been so-called are
merely errors Of the mind" In short,
Pastor Russell tried to make Christian
Science absurd by reducing 1t to set
| Of denials.
1t would be as fair as this. to say
that the Christian teaching of mans
fatherhood Christ Jesus did say. Call no
man your father upon the earth; but
II these words alone were put forth as
His teaching on the sub ject to which
sented. The denial which they ex-
pressed. was based on the affirmative
truth, "for one Is your Father which
is in heaven" and the denial without
So. also, a criticism Of Mrs. Eddy for
denying the absolute reality of evil.
without reference to the basis of her
denial is unfair and misleading.
In what manner. then. did Mrs. Eddy
deal with the mystery Of evil? She
consistently accepted the monothesm
Of the Bible. you must begin" she
has written, on page 275 Of "seience and
divine Principle of all that really is"
A more complete statement of her
reasoning. yet short enough to be quoted
here. is the following from page Az OF
tc to nI
and His creation harmonious and eter-
nal That which He creates is good.
, and He makes all that is made. There
fore. the only reality Of sin, sickness, or
seem real to human-erring belief until
God strips off their disguise" 1t may
be added that the mystery of evil Is
most clearly dispelled when some item
experience by the spiritual understand
ing which Christian Science confers.
Pastor Russell also denounced Chris
/ tian Science with several harsh adjec-
present. Nothing in the Bible so de-
clares." AN omnipresent God is not
person" These quotations contain
his reasons without his epithets. AS 7
read the Bible 1t distinctly declares
that God is everywhere. (see Psalms
13s 7-1o: Jeremiah %: g. "a; Acts II
q. 2SD AS for the word person II
has too many meanings for unqualified
use WITH reference TO tne LEFTY. Inrls-
tian Scientists do not believe that God
is like human person. They ask with
Isaiah, Ito whom. then. will ye liken
God?" They understand. as did Solo
mon; that God is infinite-"the Heaven
of Heavens cannot contain him" Chris
tian Scientists do. however, hold that
+ God is personal in the highest and
truest sense OF that term. He Is the
S Deifc. infiite. omnipresent Person; and
as a scribe said with the Masters ap-
: proval. there is none other but He"
It Pastor Russell was also mistaken
when he said that Christian Scientists
4 attribute their. healing to "a super
Christian Science healing can be done Is
Z both spiritual and natural 1t Is. as
: Jesus said. the finger Of God" which
Is to say. the power of God. Accord
l. ing to the, book Of Genesis. the law OF
: our creation and being includes the
decree, Let them have dominion'-do
minion ''over all the earth" This Is
. one OF the natrSal rights of man, ant
IT is one that exists In all its fullness
y as an idea to be apprehended and real
lied even though the average mar
manifests more subsection than do
l. minion: Christian Science declares tina
mans birthright OF dominion is not thu
y power to interfere with the true orde
!, OF the universe, nor is It the power q
:: one person to impose his human vii
u on another. On the contrary. mani
= God-eiven dominion is the power I,
s. and to reflect the divine Life
J. Pastor Russell also criticised the pub
fishers OF Christian Science literatur.
p and did so In very censorious manner
, on account of the prices for which thi
" literature Is sold. 1t can be safely said
however, that this cavil was not eX
III pressed bv reason OF desire tina
" Christian Science literature should h
-, made more accessible to the public
II hence the nropriety of the criticism T.
g. at least doubtful. Christian SCienC
literature can be obtained for a sub
r. stantial price. or II can be obtained 70
Al nothing by anyone who wants to reat
n Il.
Yours truly.
CLIFFORD p. SMITH
Boston. Mass. April %. 1915