Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-01-02
NOT ANTAGONISTIC.
the Editor of the Telegraph

To the Editor of the Telegraph:
Under bold headlines containing
such terms as 'slackers," "pro-Ger-
mans at heart" and such phrases as
don't believe that wounded men
ought to get treatment" and new
type of conscientious objectors," ap-
pears an interview in the Saturday
issue of the Telegraph with a local
Red Cross official. He is quoted as
saying, ''I cannot conceive of any
one who does not believe in aiding
the injured or dying" He then
promptly proceeds to conceive the
inconceivable and attempts to at
tach such an odious conception to
a Christian Scientist as though his
religion were responsible.
Such publications need correction
If nothing more. Besides being al
together untrue, that publication
certainly tends to do more harm
than good, whatsoever the intention
may be.
Promptly after the entry of this
country into the war, the directors
of the Mother Church at Boston
gave public notice that no Christian
Scientists are exempt from military
service on account of their religion.
Much less can they claim exemption
on religious grounds from contrib
uting to any need of our soldiers and
sailors. whatsoever that need may
be. The said directors, prior to our
participation in the war, had their
war relief representatives in prac-
tically every country at war, and no
inconsiderable sum was expended in
that way and distributed with no ex-
pense to the fund except for trans
mission.
The Christian Science Church of
this city was among the first
churches, and probably the first
church, in this vicinity to appropri-
ate a sum of money for the use OF
the Red Cross. For confirmation
consult the treasurer of the local
Chapter.
The writer was present at the
congregational business meeting of
the church on that occasion. A man
moved to contribute a certain sum
TO the Red Cross. A lady followed
with a motion to double the sum,
in spite of the fact that every dollar
was needed then on building con-
tracts for a church edifice in pro-
cess of erection. The motion car
ried without a dissenting vote.
The lady who moved the question
has on other occasions since given
time, money and entertainment to
soldiers in the service of the United
States, regardless of their church af-
filiations. You will not find that
lady's name on the membership of
the Red Cross, but there are boys in
the service who are quite willing, il
needed, to come back with their
bayonets and defend the lady against
such unwarranted aspersions.
This lady and several other Chris
tian Scientists, when later ap-
preached by n Red Cross solicitor.
gently but firmly told the latter that
they did not wish to join, but would
aid in war relief through their
church. "To what church do YOU
belons?" came the query. The
Christian Science Church
on the card shown as an excuse
for this publication the solicitor
wrote in one instance as reason for
not joining, Christian Scientist.
Do their work in their own way"
wrote. working for Christian
Church" These cards do not give
the correct attitude of the Christian
Scientists nor does the phraseology
justify the statement that either of
the Christian Scientists referred to-
do not believe in aiding the in
iured or dying" as alleged, nor that
any of them are opposed to Red
Cross aid for the soldiers. The
statements simply mean that their
contributions would be given to the
church to be appropriated by the
church for war relief as the congre-
cation deemed best.
In the only other instance in
which a card was shown as an eX-
IL l. 1,
appeared that the husband of the
lady approached attends to both
through his business relations. Does
not believe in medical research
Scientist" Nothing was said about
religion or any church denomination
in this instance so far as the lady
can recall. She simply wished to
leave the matter to her husband.
and desired to enter a protest against
using Red Cross funds for medical
experiments on animals and vivi-
section. The term ''vivisection," al
though purposely given by the lady,
was not placed on the card by the
solicitor and for some reason the
word Scientist" added. The hus-
band entered both his and his wife's
name as members of the Red Cross.
The protest in this instance was
made not as a Christian Scientist,
but for the same reasons that thou
sands of other protests are being
made by those who are not Chris
tian Scientists and for which the Red
Cross management alone may be to
blame. 1t is to be noted in this pub
lication that the religion of those
who were not Scientists was not men
toned.
Now what, under the circum-
stances, should be done in a free
country? Instead of using the very
questionable method of composing
and publishing hymns of hate" and
trying to bring odium upon innocent
people who mean well, the Christian
Science organization purposes to use
a better method. 1t purposes to eX-
tend its war relief in such a way as