Those who do not understand Christian Science are sometimes prone to believe that its followers are at war with the physicians, and that they even cherish a sense of personal antagonism toward them, but this is not true. At the time of the recent Communion and the dedication of the Extension of The Mother Church of Christ, Scientist, some of the newspaper paragraphers were inclined to make merry over the fact that the Christian Scientists were arriving in Boston before the physicians in attendance upon the convention of the American Medical Association had departed, and the reason for this merriment was the supposed personal enmity between these two classes. The further fact that some of the railroads had found it convenient to issue one form of ticket for both occasions was also commented upon, as though fuel had thus been added to a smouldering fire of antagonism and aniimosity which was ready to break into flame at any minute. Happily these witticisms and comments were founded upon a hypothetical condition instead of one which really existed. We can say for the Christian Scientists that such a condition of antagonism never existed, and could not exist with any class of people who are consistently trying to obey, as are they, the Master's injunction to "love thy neighbor as thyself."
We are sorry to note that the dedication of the magnificent new buildings of the Harvard Medical School, within sight of the Christian Science church in Boston, has been made the occasion for further humorous reference in the newspapers to this supposed ill-feeling, and at the risk of being considered deficient in a sense of humor we feel called upon to deny that there is foundation for the belief that Christian Scientists entertain any but the kindliest feelings for the members of the medical profession. They could not do otherwise and be Christian Scientists.
Mrs. Eddy has said in Science and Health, page 164. "It is just to say that generally the cultured class of medical practitioners are grand men and women," and Christian Scientists join most heartily in this estimate of these men and women, even though differing with them in their understanding of the cause and cure of disease. It is a sad commentary on humanity that it is inclined to believe that persons who hold opposite views—whether they be about religion, politics, medicine, capital and labor, or social reforms—must necessarily be at personal enmity with each other,—at swords' points, as it were. This condition is not in line with the Christianity which Jesus taught and which is so largely professed to-day. There needs to be a complete change of thought about such matters and Christian Scientists should be in the van of this reform. Mrs. Eddy has set a good example in this regard, both in her life and in her writings, and as an example of the latter we point to her article, "What Our Leader Says," originally published in the Journal in 1899 and republished by request in this issue.
