A pretty Western editress runs an Express pouring out threatenings against the author of Science and Health, whence she seeks the little she knows of Christian Science. She is glaringly on the wrong track for driving by this author, whose way is the highway of holiness, which leads to harmony, light, and Love; while her critic's is the byway of envy, jealousy, and hate.
With what grand eloquence and superinduced malice she deals her blows on the unoffending, in order to strand them on shoals of her imagining! Her picture of a weather-beaten hulk shows a vast amount of ignorance on the part of the writer, for great reformers never reach that condition. It is only those who strive to build up kingdoms of their own who are thus stranded.
The reactionary wave acts the wrong way, not against, but for the author of Science and Health, whose honest students see a steady gain in her ability to convince the incredulous; and they speak of this in every succeeding class.
Here are two contrasting facts for green eyes to behold and be benefited by. At no time in the history of Christian Science has this author had so intellectual, unselfish, sincere, and Christian a following as at this date. She herself acknowledges this, and experience has made her reticent and wisely prudent in counting the friends of our cause.
She has many more applicants to enter her college now than ever before, is called for from all parts of the United States, and from some parts of Europe, to go thither and heal, lecture, teach, preach, and establish branch colleges under legal grants. The large sales of her book are not diminishing, and no lack, no stint, no abatement, is found along the lines of her noble followers.
Sifting the chaff from the wheat makes the wheat tenfold more genuine; but the chaff says this is a loss to the wheat, and that the chaff has demonstrated its control over personality, — which means, that the chaff has found its own emptiness. The entire ranks of her detractors are demoralized, and this is their suppressed moan: "We can not heal our patients; our students are falling off; the community is finding us out; we have no oil in our lamps, and would borrow of the wise."
Whence this famine and pestilence, which have not come nigh her dwelling? What is her rich harvest, but the fruitage of humility, honesty, and unselfish toil? When will these gaunt wolves in sheep's clothing find that barking at the moon neither hinders its majestic course nor dims its lustre?
Nothing cheers our Leader more than the right wording by others of Christian Science, except the right spirit thereof; but to say that any one can improve on God's words and ideas, as expressed through the scribe of His own choosing, is to misunderstand the letter and spirit of this Science.
Conformity to Theosophy and Pagan lore is doubtless more to the liking of catchalls, who would tie reformers to whipping-posts; but the clear, steady glow of Christian Science, which throws its light on the pages of this author, her fidelity to Truth, and her faithful guard against the infidelity in our own ranks, are above all praise. Her life is in harmony with the Scripture: "Be not conformed to the world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (ROMANS xii. 2.)
"By their fruits shall ye know them,"
Said Jesus of old;
"By their fruits shall forever,
Their story be told."
Let the sap and the air, with water and soil,
Bring forth the full corn, well seasoned with toil.
