Editorials

Truth is truth to the end of reckoning. Shakespeare.

[ The following letter to Mrs. Eddy, as well as the clipping from the Boston Herald which accompanies it, will be read with pleasure by all her friends and followers, and we are sure that they will join us in thanking the city government for its prompt and generous response to the suggestion for the improvement of the streets, made by a distinguished citizen of Concord.

The insistence of Christian Science upon the necessity of giving up our material concepts of God and man has its warrant in the Scriptures, a fact which carries weight with many even before they see scientifically the reason for leaving the imperfect in order to gain the perfect. In the prophecy of Isaiah we find the statement, "Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

A College president made a public statement not long since, to the effect that the Bible is becoming more obsolete every day, and the significance of the declaration was emphasized by the fact that in the religious press comment on the subject it was generally conceded to be true, so far as the great body of the people are concerned. Further significance attaches to the matter when we remember that within the last twenty-five years, in addition to the revision of the text, numerous modern English translations and other aids to an intelligent reading of the Scriptures have been issued.

We are much pleased to give the place of honor in this issue to our Leader's timely, brave, and significant article, "Personal Contagion," which appears above, because we look upon it as one of the most important statements of inspired truth that she has given to the world since the publication of the Christian Science text-book. We feel sure that all true Christian Scientists will so regard it and, as they ponder its vital message, they will express their gratitude for it in good works.

When Jesus was questioned as to his Messiahship, "Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?" he answered, "Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. " He did not depend upon mere words for the verification of his doctrine.

One of the bulwarks of Armenian theology is its doctrine of the "Freedom of the Will," and Christian Scientists not infrequently meet those who refer to it as though it were the final and entirely satisfactory solution of the deepest religious problems. It is claimed that it not only explains the origin of evil, but that it makes clear evil's present utility as a necessary test-factor in the attainment of moral character, the power of contrary choice being regarded as a prerequisite of every act of moral merit.

The dedication of the new Mother Church of the Christian Scientists in Boston is not a matter of interest to that city alone, but to the nation; not to the nation alone, but to the world; not to this time alone, but to history. The growth of this form of religious faith has been one of the marvels of the last quarter century.

The Sentinel of June 16 contains the interesting testimony of Mrs. Rowney, accompanied by a physician's letter substantiating her statements.

As the exercises in connection with the Communion, the dedication of the Extension of The Mother Church of Christ, Scientist, and the Wednesday evening meetings of June 13 have been so fully reported in the Christian Science Sentinel of June 16 and 23, we shall not attempt to report them again in the Journal. There was, however, one feature of these exercises which stood out beyond all others —our Leader's Message to her Church—and this we republish on page 242.