At the meeting of Congregational ministers, Monday, May 4th, in Boston, Prof. Stacy Fowler read a paper on "Mind-cure, or Christian Science." The Evening Wisconsin of the 6th inst., published that portion of the paper pronouncing the science a "sham," and in an editorial of the 12th inst., your readers are led to infer your indorsements of the statements of Prof. Fowler.
The great objection to all of these investigations and opinions of the subject of mental healing, is not only their one-sidedness, but an unwillingness to receive assistance from those capable of rendering such service. One class of critics object to calling it "science,'" another class claim it is not "Christian," and some appear to indulge in the hope of blotting it out of further consideration by pronouncing it a "sham." Fair play is an American characteristic, but we are constrained to admit there seems to be an entire lack of that noble quality at the recent meetings of those denominations in Boston whenever an opportunity was suggested for Christian Science to vindicate its Christian character.
Mrs. Eddy, the discoverer of this system of healing, purposed to facilitate an honest investigation, by an offer of a free course of instruction to any of the clergymen. Certainly it would be more consistent with their Christian professions to accept that offer, than to throw it back into the face of the donor with a cry of "infidelity," "pantheism," and follow it in applauding the opinions of others who are no better prepared than themselves to judge of the merits of a greatly-to-be-desired method to relieve suffering. Boston may be the alleged center of culture, but if a high state of culture is productive of such unfair opposition to that which purposes to do good, surely Milwaukee need not catch the infection, and gauge its criticisms by the same standard—cultured unfairness.
