Imperial Valley press., 1917-01-15

theory Of disease has come froa those
who do not know what germ artu-
City is, or where or how it origi-
mated, or whence it derives the intel
!igence and power with which II IS
supposed to 20 about its work The
teadency Of the hum&l mind TO be
most 2fraid Of things of which ii
knows the least is especially notice
able in the history Of The germ theory
of The origin OF disease.
However, we are not here for the
purpose of criticising the practice OF
medicine. Indeed we cheerfully ac-
knowledge that medicine is affordinG
relief from pain and suffering IN
many instances where relief might
not be afforded by any other means
i'll the present state Of development
Of thought Of those who turn prefer
ably to material methods. This means
that Christian Scientists would be the
last persons in the world to attempt
to deny the use of material remedies
to those who prefer such remedies and
who are satisfied with the results OBJ
tanned therefrom,
As a matter of fact. Christian Sci
ence and material medicine are striT-
ing FOR ends entirely different by
means utterly unlike; therefore no
reasons exists for ant2gonism between
them, and there is no such antagon-
ism where the true nature Of the
work of each is understood,
AS already stated, the healing of
disease is incidental and not the
prime object OF Cnristian Science
practice. But because this is not
generally recognized outside the
Christian Science ranks. and because
the healinrs do constitute important
proof Of the correctness Of it's teach
ings, it is pertinent to refer brlet y
to some of the evidence that Chris
tan Science does heal disease.
\ WORLDWIDE MOVEMENT
The extraordinary growth Of the
movement is III itself an impressive
testimonial to the efficacy Of its
healing. Although the Christian Sci
erce church was established only
forty years ago. there are today more
than sixteen hundred such bodies IN
various parts of the world. While
the largest numerical representation
Is Ill tHS OHlCtu pIstIS9, Wy O-ti
tan Science had its beginning, its
churches are to be found quite nu--
merously in England, Canada. and
Germany, and they are to be found
also in France, Ireland Scotland,
Wales, Holland, Italy. Norway, SWe-
den. Switzerland, South Africa, Aus
tralia, New Zealand, China, the Phil
ippines. Argentine, Mexico, Panama,
the West indies, and Bermuda. From
virtually every quarter come reports
of continuing and substantial growth,
corroborative evidence Of which IS
found in the fact that the demand for
the authorized literature is increas-
inr so rapidly as to tax the constant
" charging publication facilities. In
one large American city the Chris
tian Science church now number al
most o score, and d leading neWspa-
rer it, anothcr large city recently es-
timated that the increase among the
adherents Of Christian Science in that
city during the preceding year had
been approximately one hundred PEE
cent.
In ten years past the number Of
Christian Science organizations IN
creased seventy per cent. The actual
net gain in number of organizations
was G67, or an average Of little bet
Ter than one per week throughout the
ten year period. The fact that the
nc. increase last year was siNty-flve
organizations shows the rate of in
crease is being well maintained, in
nc ten years referred to, the men,
barship of the Mother Church. the
parent organization Of the movement,
has increased one hundred and six
teen per cent, and at the latest an
nual mectinr of the Mother Church
the report Of the Clerk showed that
The number Of new members received
at that time was the largest in the MS
1cry of the Church.
These data are cited because Of
their siCnificance in the light cf the
fact that this movement, which in so
brief a period has become world wide,
has been recruited largely from among
those who turned to it fer healing,
1t is a fair inference that if these mu]-
tituGes, or any considerable proper
ton thereof, had found on coming
to Christian Science that its prom
t.c- f healing were fraudulent Or
mistaken, there would have been such
. veyuisIon among its adherents that
the movement long since would have
passed into memory. The proposition
of Christian Science from its begin
ming has been to al! men, as it is to
you, namely, that nothing need be
accepted with regard to it that can
not be demonstrated to satisfaction
in the individual experience Of the
student. Christian Science h%5 no
means Of attracting or holding fol-
lowers except its superior ability to
moot their human needs, and if il
had failed to do this to any appra-
cable extent the closing chapter Of
its history would have hcen Writfeo
long ago. So, then, the rapid, wide
spread, and steadily increasing growth
Of The movement constitutes infaren-
tial evidence Of a peculiarly forcefuI
character that Christian Science heal
inp is a fact.
THOUSANDS TrGTIEY 70 HEAL
ING.
A mass of evidence Of a direct and
rarticul&r nature is to be found in