p. 4 | Christian Science by GEO. D. BALLOU

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Jul 22, 1915

Christian Science

By GEO. D. BALLOU

Mind Cure—No. 6

Christian Science

GEO. D. BALLOU

CURES by means of Christian Science are wrought through a system of mental diversion or preoccupation. Minds that have been harassed by doubt, fear, remorse, anxiety, or any other depressing sentiment, are attracted by the promise of cure, begin studying its occult formulas, are astonished but not shocked by its wonderful system of negations, begin to believe its doctrines, and forget their former troubles and depressed moods. This mysterious, occult, sometimes silent appeal to troubled minds is the most powerful human means conceivable, in many cases, for producing changes in the depressed conditions of a disturbed mind and nervous system.

This appeal to the love of the marvelous is with many minds almost irresistible. There can be no more subtle, quiet demand for a change of moods than the methods used in both the words and the manner of these Christian Science healers. Wonder, surprise, and astonishment are the temporary antidotes for worrying and agonizing. One cannot agonize and wonder at the same time.

Let the man of cool scientific mind who undertakes to find the meaning of the things he reads, begin to peruse a copy of “Science and Health,” which is the foundation of Christian Science; if he persists in this effort for fifteen to thirty minutes, the chances are that he will have a headache for racking his mind to find some sane, sensible meaning where there is none. Let another of sentimental, imaginative mind begin to read the book when troubled with headache from worry and fretting, and in all probability this headache will cease within thirty minutes. The cause of these diametrically opposite results is very simple. This last mind did not attempt to fathom the mystical import of what was read, but just began to wonder, and kept right on wondering, What does it all mean? how does the reading of this book heal the sick? how can all these wonderful cures come about? As a result, the mind finds relief from its previous anxieties.

There is nothing more supernatural or miraculous about this than that water will quench thirst, or fire warm the body, or food satisfy the bodily hunger. A state of rest comes into the soul because the troubles are forgotten. Anything else which will gain the attention of a distracted mind and win its confidence until nature can rally from the injuries done by adverse moods will accomplish the same physical results. As before said, a journey through a new country; a visit from a loved and trusted friend who brings new, pleasant thoughts and moods; the assurances of a good physician; and a hundred other things will work the same physical results without the mysticism or false doctrine.

The limitations of the power of Christian Science is seen when attempting the cure of blood poisoning, typhoid fever, smallpox, cancer, and other malignant diseases without other than mental remedies. The use of all physical remedies is ignored. Failures are ascribed to the patient because he did not surrender his mind fully and get in touch with the Christian Science metaphysical idea of God.

It is not unusual to see a patient who is stricken with locomotor ataxia or some other equally incurable disease, greatly relieved, and most hopeful expectations are aroused of a full and perfect cure. But later on, perhaps after a year or two, the Christian Science practitioner finds that some malign influence in the family or neighborhood is hindering further progress. The cause of the improvement is clear. Probably half or two thirds of the symptoms in the case presented in its early stages were due to the mental agony of the patient over his condition. These are removed by the absolute assurance of Christian Science, but the diseased condition, due to some specific poison in the blood, slowly progresses toward a fatal termination.

Evil Influence

The doctrine of a malefic influence, called by this cult “malicious animal magnetism,” is remarkably out of place among the “all good” things that God created. In spite of the claim of Christian Scientists that God is the creator of all that we call evil, and therefore all evil is good, they found it necessary to invent this theory of a malign influence to account for the failures of Christian Science. It seems very remarkable that in spite of the fact, in their theory, that there is no devil, yet this cult confesses that it is confronted with an evil force that is as hard or harder for them to manage than was the personal devil as they found him in the creeds and in the Bible. Christian Science made an effort to get rid of the personal devil, but in this malefic influence they have invented a demon as attenuated and ethereal as the god whom they teach. So now they have a pantheistic devil and a pantheistic god.

Are these people sincere?—Most assuredly they are. It is not men's motives we are dealing with, but the application of the law of rest. The fascination

of the mysterious, and the undefined idea that whatever is accomplished for the sick by other than visible means must be miraculously divine, is very generally prevalent. The result is that whatever is accomplished is taken as evidence that a miracle has been wrought, and that every Christian Science doctrine is true, because it is supposed that the cures grow out of the doctrine instead of resulting from the state of rest and temporary peace that has been brought into the soul by this system of mental diversion. Other faiths and doctrines could accomplish similar physical results in their adherents if held with the same expectation, cheerfulness, courage, and hope.

Indeed, this same kind of work has been going on in a quiet, unobtrusive way all through the ages. Physicians have used it, and ministers have used it, and priests have used it, and the friends of the sick have used it, and many a soul has been saved from premature death just by the hope and cheer that has come from getting the thoughts diverted from the depressing topics that pulled it down. But little has been said concerning these cases. They were such natural results that no one of repute has thought to make himself famous by proclaiming them as divine, and that he had the exclusive agency for dispensing such healing power.

Creative Power Lacking

Jesus of Nazareth, who was with the Father before the foundation of the world, was joint Creator of the universe. It was he to whom the Father said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” His mission to earth was to demonstrate that creative power could undo all the work of the usurper and reveal the tender mercies of Jehovah, and thus restore man's confidence in his Creator. And he did not dispense the grace of God for gold. He said to his disciples, “Freely ye have received, freely give.” Now, if Christian Science is the representative of Jesus on earth, let it speak the creative word of healing to the palsied and the maimed, to the lepers and the syphilitic, and to those born blind and deaf. Let creative power be seen putting new eyes into the empty sockets, and let flesh-and-blood limbs take the place of artificial ones. There is plenty of this work to be done, and now is the opportune time. Let something appear besides the partial removal of adverse mental causes and the temporary results that follow. But, reader, you will never see any manifestations of creative energy from this cult. How can its adherents exercise creative power when they have denied the very existence of a Creator?

The Conflict

There is a conflict between good and evil, between righteousness and sin, between life and death; between sickness and suffering on the one hand, and health on the other. He who thinks to end the conflict by denying the existence of evil and sin and sickness, will eventually find himself conquered, and bound hand and foot.

He who can deceive himself into believing contrary to the evidence of his senses and reason, shows enough skill and perseverance and will power to conquer every evil thing in life and rise superior to nearly every form of sickness, without having to deny the existence of these things.

A man may have this system inculcated fully into his life and yet know nothing of that spiritual rest that comes from full spiritual fellowship with the personal Creator. He may talk “Christ” and “truth” and “life” and the “allness of God,” and be an agent for healing the sick, and yet not be acquainted with the personal Saviour who now sits at the right hand of his personal Father in the heavenly sanctuary. Heb. 8:1, 2. Trusting in divine power and so-called “truth” apart from a personal acquaintance with the personal Creator, will save no man. There is but one thing that will do away with the “old beliefs” and “errors of mortal mind” for the Christian Scientist, or with sin and all its consequences for other people, and that is a personal, living acquaintance with the Creator and his Son Jesus. This only will end the conflict.