The Denver Jewish news., 1919-08-13


among The least of its pretensions.
Christian Scieace is more than a meth
cd OF healing. 1t is at the same time
religion, a philosophy, and a science,
all in one. but especially religion. Its
name indicates that. It's numerous
shrines and temples rear their proud
towers alongside of otaer churches
everywhere in the land.
Let us, then, examine its peculiar
religious ideas and doctrines. Let us
see how much logic there Is in Christ
ian Science religious or metaphysical
reasoning. We can here only sum
marize its doctrines.
We are told that Christian Science
is based on certain Fundamental prop
ositions defining the nature of God. ats
textbook contains this definition of
God. God is iucorporeal. divine, su-
preme, infinite Mind, Spirit. Soul. Prin-
ciple, Life. Truth, Love" (Sciencc and
Health. p. 465).
To the unschoOled person this string
of words must appear beautiful grand,
sublime, the essence of divine wisdom.
Yet it is nothing but string of words.
each one beautiful and impressive, but
together giving little. sense. For what
sense is there in saying that Cod is
Divine; or that He is mind, spirit.
SOUL" three words that generally con-
h., ba Ea 10 prin-
;ciple, Life, Truth, Love? We could
add few more words to it without
making much difference in the sense,
one way or another. We could say.
God is Law. Light. Justice. Pity. Mercy.
Beauty. Essence. Source Goal. Founla-
tion. Father. Mother. Eternity, lnfinity.
etc. etc. There is no dearth of such
beautiful words in our English tom
que.
But let us accept this definition. and
proceed. THE starting point of tli-
vine Science is that God. Spirit, is All
mall, and that there is no other Nigh;
nor Mind-that God is Love, and there
fore He is divine Principle" (Science
and Health. p. 275). Again string
of words. meant to be very impressive
and edifying. Yet, let any intelligent
person try to get some sense out OF
this: God is Love. and therefore He
is divine Principle" We might as well
say: Beauty is Joy. and therefore it
is beautiful Principle"
Such being its illuminating dcfini
tions of God. let us see what Its doc
trines are about man. They are part
of its metaphysics. There is no life,
truth, intelligence. nor substance In
matter All is infinite mind. and its
infinite manifestation. for God is All
mail. Spirit is immortal truth; mat
ter is mortal error. Spirit is the real
and eternal: matter is the unreal and
temporal Spirit is God, and man is
Ills image and likeness. Therefore.
man is not material: he is spiritual"
(Science and Health. p. 1861.
OF course. we have 10 take Mrs.
Eddys word for all this. If we apply
some real test. we find that 1t Is not
ut all as simple as 1t appears. Let
someone drop down from the tenth
story of building to the stone pave
ment below, and he will soon learn
whether there is no substance in mat
ter. M 'ft
Perhaps that is what is meant by
Matter is mortal error" 1t certainly
would be an error to fall down from
the tenth story; and it would be NOR
tai. very mortal.
Or note the profound logic of this:
Matter is unreal and temporal" which
means. it lasts for time. but does not
exist. 1t is, and it amt
Note in particular the last sentence
Man is not material: he is spiritual"
suppose that is why he eats and
drinks, und rcproduccs his species. and
does a number of other things that on
ly n spirit is in the habit of doing.
wonder what man would do If he were
in part material.
But the essence of Christian Science
is contaiued in the following: THE,
fundamental propositions of divine
metaphysics are summarized in the
four following. to me self-evidlent prop
ositions:
Il. God is ATl-in-All.
II. God is good-Good Is Mind. 4
ali H.
ing is matter.
Nv. Life, God. omnipotent good
deny death. evil. sin. diseasc.--Disease
sin, evil, death, deny good. omnfrofcht