WE have clipped the following extract from an editorial in the Pacific Christian Advocate, and present it to our readers as an example of friendly criticism which recognizes some of the good fruits of Christian Science yet doubts the value of the tree which bears these fruits.
The editor writes,—
"We are not disposed to enter into any controversy with the Christian Scientists, and while we cannot agree with them on many points, we are not inclined to indulge in harsh criticisms of people whose lives are as beautiful as are the lives of those who live up to the teachings of Christian Science. There are many things which seem to us absurd in their teachings, but they do enthrone love, they eschew evil, as a rule their patience is beautiful, their lives are serene, and they are enthusiastic for the advancement of their cult and the prevalence of their teachings. All this we admire, and admire very greatly. It is frequently a source of great entertainment to us to watch some earnest Christian Scientist advocating his theories,—after a quiet fashion, to be sure, but most earnestly and persistently,— where people of the [other] Christian churches would remain silent, and possibly indifferent. Their "science" seems to dominate their minds, and finds expression through their words on all occasions and at almost all times. We must respect people who live so thoroughly what they espouse, who are so enthusiastic over their position that they earnestly labor to have others receive the benefits which they claim will come as the results of their theories. But these people must not expect that others will accept their teachings without very close scrutiny; and as they make such lofty claims, they must expect that persons who think what they esteem to be an absurd contradiction will make light of what seems to them folly."
