When I accepted Christian Science, about four years ago, I had been a clergyman for ten years. For the work of the Christian ministry I was carefully prepared in college and divinity school. My father before me was an earnest clergyman and my mother was a devout and consecrated woman. And yet to me Christian Science is that religion by which the unknown God is made known.
Because Christian Science is the opposite of agnosticism, infidelity, and pantheism, it may be opposed by their believers. Because Christian Science is not at all like hypnotism and theosophy, it would not be strange that their earnest adherents should not understand us. But it is at first somewhat difficult to understand why Christian Science should be assailed by those who claim to have the same God and profess to follow the same Master. The mission of this system is one with Christianity, to make mankind better physically, morally, and spiritually. Its methods are quiet and unobtrusive. It appeals only to reason and rests confidently in the Truth. Its sword is the Spirit, its shield faith, its armor the good, and it is willing to be judged by the test of Jesus, "By their fruits ye shall know them."
The study of this denomination will reveal a law-abiding, home-loving, self-respecting people. Even if the honest man does not agree with them, he can rejoice that there is growing in his midst a rapidly increasing and noble company of God-fearing people. The patent fact of the high character of the men and women, which in ever increasing numbers are flocking to its ranks, has created misunderstanding when there should have been a welcome to it as an added power among the forces of good. After thirty years of unparalleled success in treating sickness and sin, with a record of well-nigh a million so-called incurables restored to health and happiness, why should it not merit the favor of all? But, says some listener, "If Christian Science is a better method for treating sickness than medicine and a better system of healing sin than theology, then does not Christian Science take the place of both medicine and theology?"
