King's Business - 1915-11

THE KING’S BUSINESS

977

liverjnce from an incurable disease was never given. I have no quarrel with "Christian Science for curing imaginary disease. If they would only stop there I would say: “Amen,” but that is only the trap to entangle the soul and lead it to certain destruction. CREEDS AND" CEREMONIALS ■ The church services are conducted by readers. The first reader reads “Science and Health” and the second reader reads the Bible. “Science and Health”, is su­ perior to t[ie Scriptures, and the Scriptures are always made to conform with “Science and Health.” The places where they are to read are carefully selected; also for the daily reading of all the members. No ser­ mons are allowed, nor any remarks what­ ever, and the members are not allowed to gather together to study or talk about Christian Science. That always seemed strange to me, as if they weer afraid some­ body would stumble onto the truth. When they have what they call com­ munion, there is no bread and wine, but just silent pfayer (?), as they call it. If Christ never died for our sins and H«is body never was broken for us, that way of taking the sacrament is very appropriate. Besides Mrs. Eddy claims that the prophecy in Isaiah 9 :6, “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given,” refers to her book and'means ‘Im­ manuel,” or “God w'ith us,” and she says, “Why do you need memorials Of a friend when that friend is with you?” She also says that “the material blood of Jesus was no more efficacious to cleanse from sin when it was shed upon the accursed tree, than when it was flowing in His viens, as He went daily about His Father’s business” (page 25, S. and H., 1907). That one statement is enough to stamp it as coming from the pit. It is fiot my purpose to go at length into the details of this teaching, but to briefly state' some of the leading facts of this subtle falsehood. Mrs. Eddy claims that Jesus Christ was no more divine than man, but He is God’s idea, the same as man. But she speaks of Him so often and in such

ambiguous terms, that her followers do not understand her meaning. I once said to my sister, who is a loyal Christian Scientist, that she had no Saviour, and she became very indignant. As a general rule, I believe they are deceived. They call Jesus the “Way- shower.” I remember one thing I was taught in the class was, that Mary’s idea of God was much inferior to Mrs. Eddy’s idea, for Mary’s idea 'partook of mortal error, while Mrs. Eddy’s was all spiritual. Her son is “the Christ,” or divine science. THE SOCIAL AND HOME LIFE In regard to their promise to love one an­ other; and to be meek and merciful, etc., I will say that Christ Jesus wept with tho.se who wept and mourned with those who mourned, and commanded us to do so. But Christian Scientists do not believe in com­ passion, and are positively forbidden to sympathize with any one. As they thus go on steeling their hearts against all love and sympathy, they soon come to have no more feeling than the stones in the street, t The head of the church to which I belonged had been a Scientist for twenty years and had been with Mrs. Eddy for three years, which she considered the height of earthly glory, and which she never missed an opportunity to mention. This woman lost her mother, and she stood over her casket without a tear or the slightest emotion whatever. A member of the church lost her father and went to her for comfort, to whom she said, “You never had a father:” As I looked at her I thought, “If that is the result of twenty years in Christian Science, I do not want it.” They look down upon marriage, and when a couple marries, they lose caste. They claim marriage is not necessary for repro­ duction, and I have heard of at least three children that have been bom without fath­ ers. They do not hesitate to separate hus­ band and wife, for they say Christian Sci­ ence is the second coming of Christ, when “there is no marriage nor giving in mar­ riage.” While they pretend^ to be doing so much good, and look so happy tand have such sweet dispositions and do not think

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