CHRISTIAN SCIENCE by J. O. Beard

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 11, 1903

“CHRISTIAN SCIENCE.”

By J. O. Beard

V. Disease, Healing, and Excuses for Failures.

“But does not Christian Science heal the sick?” That is the question that is usually asked when any one begins to expose the weaknesses and failures of that system. Mrs. Eddy takes the position that none of the religious denominations recognize healing in answer to prayer, and that her system is the only one advocating it. She says, “Popular religion denies that Christ’s religion has exercised any healing power since the first century” (page 301), and “the Christian opponents of Christian Science neither give nor offer any proofs that their Master’s religion can heal the sick” (page 300). These, and many other statements, show that healing the sick is Mrs. Eddy’s great test of the genuineness of any religious system. But if her claims of healing were true, that would not of itself be a sufficient reason for accepting her teachings. The Bible warns us not to follow a false teacher, even tho the sign of wonder given by the teacher does come to pass. Deut. 13:1–3. It tells us not to believe every spirit, but to try them, and see whether they are from God or not. 1 John 4:1. That is what we have been doing, using God’s Word as the measuring rod (Isa. 8:20), and have found this system to be false.

But her sweeping and exclusive claims of healing are denied for the following reasons:—

First, many Christians believe in the healing of disease in answer to prayer; and the instruction in James 5:14, 15 has often been carried out. But the method of healing practised by Mrs. Eddy’s followers is not the method of Christ and His disciples. The latter spoke a word, and the work was done. Sometimes they laid their hands on the sick, and sometimes not; but the work was done at once. But these would-be scientists usually drag along for a weary while. They do not say, “Jesus Christ maketh thee whole” (Acts 9:34), nor, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk” (Acts 3:6); but they carefully explain to the patient that he is suffering from an illusion; that “man is never sick; for mind is not sick, and matter can not be” (page 392); that “sickness is an illusion” (page 489); for “what is termed disease does not exist” (page 81); and that man must “mentally contradict every complaint from the body” (page 390); and “when the first symptoms of disease appear, dispute the testimony of the senses” (page 389); for “your decisions will master you, whichever direction they take” (page 391).

Second, the writer’s observation, with that of

many others, has forced the conclusion that these claims of healing will not bear a satisfactory investigation. How many times have cases been reported of persons suffering from some simple disease that would readily yield to treatment or even to good nursing; but because of the neglect occasioned by following this delusive teaching, the result has been fatal. A friend of the writer told of a man who was caught out in the rain. He went home, and being tired and chilly, he lay down on the floor in his wet clothing. A good sweat, followed by a cold-water or oil rub, would have enabled him to go about his work in a day or two. But the cold rapidly grew worse. He would not go to bed nor remove his clothing, insisted that nothing was the matter with him; and died, a victim of his own stubbornness. Of course, in such a case, these would-be scientists claim that Mrs. Eddy’s theory was not properly applied; for they assert that there is never a failure when her plan is rightly followed. As the treatment is purely mental, and they do not even talk about it, this furnishes a very convenient refuge; for, in case of failure, it is easy to say the method was not properly applied, or it was not carried out.

But they have another wonderful excuse for failures, which, for want of a better name, may be called “the general mind.” She states it thus: “If a dose of poison is swallowed through mistake, and the patient dies, even tho physician and patient are expecting favorable results, does belief, you ask, cause this death? Even so, and as directly as if the poison had been intentionally taken.” Page 70. She explains that while a few believe the dose to be harmless, the vast majority, “tho they know nothing of this particular case,” believe the drug to be poisonous, and therefore it causes death. But the vast majority of the people are not thinking of this drug, nor of any other one particular thing. The only way that this idea of a general mind could be true would be for mind to be a sort of loose intelligence floating around like the air, yet controlling us so that we can scarcely shape an opinion for ourselves. And if we do succeed in forming an opinion, this floating intelligence domineers over us, and refuses to let us carry it out. This is the silliest of nonsense. One can not help asking, If there is such a general mind controlling everything, how does it happen that drugs, in which almost everybody has implicit confidence, do not cure every disease? and how was it possible for Mrs. Eddy ever to cure a single case, or to get the slightest foothold for her philosophy?

A third reason for denying the exclusiveness of Mrs. Eddy’s claims is that there are other systems that make the same claims in the healing of disease. Of course she denounces their methods as false, unscientific, etc.; but they also object to her, and their reports read about like those of her followers. A very able physician has said, and others agree with him, that a large percentage of the diseases of the world, and diseases of almost every class, exist only in the mind. These they can and often do relieve. Then there are many conditions of disease that presently disappear if they are let alone, and they get credit for curing many of these also.

Mrs. Eddy cites many cases to show that disease is an illusion of the mind, and that mind may control matter, or that matter does not exist. But her proof is insufficient. To prove that twenty people, scattered here and there, were not sick when they thought they were, does not prove that twenty, fifty, or a hundred others who were sick at the same time, were also deluded. She tells of a criminal who was told he was to be bled to death, and died from the belief that it was his life-blood running down over his arm, when it was only a little stream of warm water. But the fact that a man died because he thought he was bleeding to death, does not prove that a man could not bleed to death, merely because he might insanely convince himself that the blood pouring out of his veins was no part of his life. To prove one case to be false does not prove another not to be genuine.

But all her theories do not account for the catching of contagious diseases when no exposure is suspected, or not catching them when exposure is known and the disease expected, or for disease proving to be one thing, when every mind in any way concerned insists that it is something else, and for many other questions that arise. And the weakness of the excuses for failing to heal are a confession of the weakness of the entire system.

It is a sad fact that Christians have not lived up to their privileges, not only in the healing of disease by faith, but in many other things as well. But that does not prove that they are on the wrong track, even tho they may have so far forgotten their privilege as to deny its existence. The Hebrews murmured and failed, while wandering in the wilderness, until God told them they should never enter Canaan. Num. 14:26–38. But they were on the right road all the time; and after the complainers were dead, He led their children over into the promised land.

On the other hand, miracle-working is no proof of connection with God. Of some of the miracle-workers of these last days the Lord says, “They are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth, . . . to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” Rev. 16:14. And of the master of these false workers He says, “He doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do.” Rev. 13:13, 14. It is truly necessary to prove all things, but to hold fast only that which is good.

In the concluding article we will consider the speculative spirit and some other points.

J. O. BEARD.