Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-10-09
J.. L. Kendall Of Des Moines Replies
to Article by Rev. Arthur
Metcalf.
Eds. Freeman-T Tribune:

IN occasion 10 crltlclLe CAI1SttoA w
ence, and more particularly it's pre-
sentation by DR.. Walton Hubbard,
who recently lectured in your city.
Rev. Metcalf states: 'The religion
which may possibly be involved IN
Christian Science, do not for mo-
ment criticize. Everybody is entitled
to any kind of religion which to
them seems reasonable. But besides
claiming to be religion Christian
Science is set forth as philosophy,
and as such, it must invite crltll--
cism.''
The philosophy" Of Christian
Science and its religion" are one
and ipseparable. Therefore crit
icism of it's philosophy is criticism
OF its religion. Christian Science
lectures are given for the purpose OF
correctly stating the teachings OF
Christian Science, and may be ac-
&epted as authoritative. Christian
Scientists therefore have no apollo
kies to make for DR.. Hubbard's ut
terances. On the contrary, they COM
}lend them to the respectful consid-
ration of that part of your citizen
i~.Mhich is sufficiently liberal in
hougnT ro.f open to the acceptance
-. of ideas of ,f1uth, which may run
counter to some OF the propositions
of so-called orthodox theology, of
which Rev Metcalf seems to be an
able exponent.
1t is a self-evident proposition
that Christian Science in its philoso-
ply, it's religious teachings and in
sAits practical demonstration is some
What different from much that is
accepted today as orthodox, and
perhaps this very difference is its
and accounts for the
fact that it is being gladly and will
accepted by thousands of peo-
aple as reasonable religion and a
practical therapeutic agency. II it
were hut ufhercHI 1nSi .s0u1u ~ I
very little excuse for its existence.
The world needs something different,
something more practical to the
earnest seeker for satisfactory re-
ligion, and Christian Science is fur
nishing it.
Our Reverend critic facetiously
states: "a characteristic of all
christian Science lecturers is the
cool, clever way in which they af-
firm things which everybody knows
are not so' He also refers to
Christian Science as pseudo
Christian cult"
Let us examine this statement
and criticism, comparing it with an
other statement by Mr.. Metcalf: 1T
must be borne in mind that my re-
marks are not made against the local
q Organization of most excellent peo-
pie" Mr. Metcalf would have us be-
pie" are deceived by false Science,
and false religion and that they
in common with the hundreds of
thousands of equally excellent peo-
ple,'' who constitute the Christian
Science membership are as he states
it blinded by pious camouflage." He
would have us believe that these Eek
ceIlent people" engage "cool and
clever" lecturer to deceive and
.'humbug" themselves and others.
This is on the face of it fallacious
argument and utterly misleading.
1t must be conceded that the fol-
lowing of Christian Science are peo-
pie of average intelligence. 1t is al
so IA fact that many of these people
have been members of various de-
nominations, and have run the ga
nut of ordinary medical and relig-
ious experience. They are Christian
Scientists because their intelligence
impels them to accept as true and
valid that which they have proved
to be SO, and against this experience,
VIC find arrayed the opinions of Min
listers and others who would seek to
discredit actualities with theological
sophistries.
These people not only believe the
statements made by this lecturer to
be true, but they know them to be
true from actual experience, and
therefore the word everybody" asI
used by our critic is too comprehen-
sive term.
An attack upon the Founder of
the Christian Science religion is al
SO an attack upon the religion it
self, and to employ an expression US
ed by cur critic-does not square"
with his avowed intention not to at
tack the religion. His statement
that Mrs. Eddy was very COM