To the Editor of The Herald.
The Rev. Mary Baker G. Eddy states in her book, "Miscellaneous Writings," in the chapter on "Mental Healing," p.219: "This is Christian Science: that mortal mind makes sick, and Immortal Mind makes well; that mortal mind makes sinners, while Immortal Mind makes saints; that a state of health is but a state of consciousness made manifest on the body, and vice versa; that, while one person feels wickedly and acts wickedly, another knows that if he can change this evil sense and consciousness to a good sense, or conscious goodness, the fruits of goodness will follow, and he has reformed the sinner."
Frequently reports have been sent out in the press to the effect that Mrs. Eddy was sick or dying; that she was dead, and that another, claiming to be she, was masquerading in her place. These reports are doubtless instigated by those who think that if they can have the universal co-operation of mortal minds in the belief that these reports are true, they may be able to produce evil effects. Christian Scientist report no such stuff about others; but the evil-minded do so, and then charge Christian Scientists with that of which they alone are guilty.
Mrs. Eddy states, p.222, "Miscellaneous Writings:" "The malicious mental argument and its action on the mind of the perpetrator, is fatal, morally and physically. From the effects of mental malpractice, the subject scarcely awakes in time, and must suffer its full penalty after death. This sin against Divine Science is cancelled only through human agony: the measure it has meted must be re-measured to it."
Again, p.223: "May divine Love so permeate the affections of all those who have named the name of Christ in its fullest sense that no counteracting influence can hinder their growth or taint their examples."
Mrs. Eddy teaches her students to overcome evil with good, and every student loyal to Christian Science will attest this. The report that she orders half a million people to hypnotize the surrogate of the New York court is an outrage, and an open insult to hundreds of thousands of the most intelligent and most Christian people of this land.
Statements were made in the New York court, establishing the claim of Scientists to have healed animals and plants. If loyal Christian Scientists should tell me that they had done these things, I should believe it, and why? Because I should stick to my text. I myself have witnessed many wonderful things through divine power as taught in this faith, but many of these I have chosen rather to ponder, and not tell to the public, not even in a Wednesday night meeting of Christian Scientists, lest I should furnish material for some scoffer. Our Master declared: "Neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." Legends say that Jesus, when a boy, made clay pigeons to sing. Was this a burlesque upon his power manufactured by his enemies, or was it indeed true? If flowers, plants, and birds grow in the first instance by the mandate of Divine Mind, is it a strange thing that this same influence should heal their afflictions?
Legends lie, or Jesus carried his demonstrations over matter far beyond what Christian Scientists presume to do. If they falsely reported him, it is not strange that his followers should be belied.
"It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household."
If Christian Science is insanity, as Dr. Hamilton of New York stated, under oath, we must surely consider the insanity cure a great success. If this craze can produce a condition of freedom from sorrow, sin, and sickness, a state of health, happiness, and purity, God grant us universal insanity. Very truly yours,
In The Boston Herald.
