Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 98, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 April 1915 — CHRISTIAN SCIENCE; IS IT REASONABLE? [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE; IS IT REASONABLE?

“Costs Sow, Lsi Us Rsasos Together, Salih Jehovah.” Remarkable Growth of Thia Cult—lta Adherent*—Their Realization of a Supernatural Power—An Outgrowth of Preaant Conditiona—Are Ita Teaching* Logical?—Perplexing Problems.

Binghamton, N. Y., April 25.—Pagtor Russell’s discourse here today was based upon the text, “Come now, let us reason together, saith Jehovah; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” 1:18. The sermon be-

gan with the statement that what a man believes is his own business, and not subject to public criticism; but that when a body of people associate themselves, publish their doctrines to the world and invite members, they lose the individual privilege, and their doctrines are open to public Criticism. But doctrines alone may be criticised; and they should be honestly treated, not misrepresented. The Pastor then traced the remarkable growth of Christian Science. Its teachings appeal to a very intelligent class of people—a well-to-do class, of considerable mental independence. So far as he has conversed with Christian Scientists, he finds that physical healing seems more or less associated with their conversion to their cult. Either themselves or their friends have been healed. Their realization of the cure convinced them that there is a supernatural power outside of man, and aroused religious sentiment such as they had never before known. Bewildered Christendom. The reason for this is that nominal Christianity is merely a form of godliness, without power or conviction, which has spread to such an extent that the whole world is styled Christendom—Christ’s Kingdom. Additionally, during the last fifty years a sincere class of Christians have been greatly perplexed because of the stupendous nonsense, intermingled with Truth, which was handed down to us from the Dark Ages. Under the increasing light, thinking people could not swallow some of the monstrous statements of the creeds as readily as did their forefathers; and each denomination has found it necessary to say little about its creed. Thus people are bewildered as to the differences between the various denominations; and many have concluded that the only difference is In forms, ceremonies, etc. The doctrine that God had foreordained 999 out of every 1,000 to an eternity of torture in fire became too horrible to believe. The alternative doctrine, that God did not foreordain matters thus, but had not the. wisdom or the power to avoid such a catastrophe for His creatures, became equally repugnant. Consequently preachers began to tell that the destiny of humanity was not literal fire, but gnawing of conscience, etc. —each preacher manufacturing a Hell of his own. Under these conditions Christian Science was bom. Three things especially favored it: (1) its acceptance of the Bible; (2) its rejection of everlasting torment; (3) its teaching of Divine healing. Mrs. Eddy, its acknowledged head, had a. keen mind and considerable wisdom in its exercise. She held to the Bible, though she perverted its teachings. She laid stress on healing, and settled all doctrinal difficulties with the dictum that there is no evil, there is no sin, no death; that what have been so called are merely errors of the mind. The very absurdity of some of these statements advertised them. At first people said, Absurd! Later they said, We will see how Christian Science explains death, sickness, pain, sin. Thus curiosity led them into the metaphysical labyrinth which Mrs. Eddy had constructed. Having no intelligent knowledge ®f the Bible, they were in condition to fall an easy prey to “Mother Eddy’s” errors. Is Christian Science Logical? The Pastor then discussed some problems which Christian Science presents to all logical minds. This cult declares that there is no death, and that whoever dies merely commits “mortal error.” The fact that for six thousand years mankind have died is surely against this theory. If everybody commits “mortal error,” everybody dies. Even “Mother Eddy” finally succumbed. The speaker wondered what solution Christian Science offers for this problem. Again, if disease is error, if death is the greatest of errors, and if the escaping of “mortal error” —death —brings everlasting life, how do our Christian Science friends expect to get everlasting life, when at the last moment of their trial they make failure? The corollary would be hopeless death to sii. In this conclusion the Bible agrees: “The wages of sin is death.” Sin brings “mortal error”—death. But the Bible logically points out God’s provision in Christ for mankind’s recovery out of ♦'his death condition by a resurrection from the dead. (1 Cor. 15:21, 22.) Those who deny that there fa death must of necessity deny that Jesus died, and hence deny the Ran-som-Price given for the worid’s sins.