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Show TO ClimSTlAN SCIENCE s The North American Review for March publishes a reply to Mark Twain, from the Pen of WUllam P, McCrackan of New York, under the title, "Mrs. Eddy's' Relation to Christian Science." Mr. McCrackan says In part: "The bond of love and gratitude between be-tween Mrs. Eddy, and .the multitudes who have been healed, reformed and comforted by her spiritual Interpretation Interpreta-tion of the Scriptures towS more secure se-cure and rea) as time goes oa. XX any Individuals, . lacking- a proper : under, standing of her teachings, have thought too much of her human' personality, they have either, long .since corrected this fault or : their own over-weening sense of ."personality has been revealed to them as a god ,to be abandoned. "Mrs. Eddy's life motive springs from her discovery,-. -The two cannot be separated, sepa-rated, any more than Christian Scientists Scien-tists can be secured by any sophistries from acknowledging, thsls Indsbtedosss to one whom God has chosen in this age to make known this Good-News q them. --''j , : . "Christian Scientists - have systematically system-atically given away . a great maor books, periodicals etc., and are doing so today. But there Is much evidenoe to show . that people appreciate more highly that for which they pay. than that which is given them, and shveere persons, ss a-rulo, prefer to make some soft of return for what they receive. "That the . business ' affairs of the Christian Sclenoc denomination ara on a sound financial footing is conceded. Is there any fault to find with that? Is U not rather a welcome mark of stability j and good faith that this denomination ean meet all Its liabilities as they grow, can erect its own Churches and at Its own cost maintain free reading-rooms and free lectures to which the publlo have access without charge T. Is It not a virtue that it needs no fairs, basars, etc.. end that none of -its churches ars dedicated until paid for? If the Christian Chris-tian 8clence denomination called upon those who have not had the benefits of its Christian healing to contribute toward its expenses, or If It '.were in debt and unable to pay Its Wayj the criHe might Justly find fault with the status of its -business affairs, but under present conditions there Is no such pretext. pre-text. "There Is no doubt that executive and business skill are needed to manage the affairs of so great and active an organization, organ-ization, but because success attends this management, is it necessary to call the denomination a 'trust? "All religious denominations supervise super-vise the instruction of their ' teachers and license their clergymen. They owe this to the public, as well as to them-, selves. Such restraint are Justified by general opinion in the case of all denominations. de-nominations. Why should any one consider con-sider them as marks of a 'trust when applied by Christian Scientists? The public has already been sufficiently deceived de-ceived in times past as to what Christian Chris-tian Science is or is not. as to what it does or does not. No one who has the good of Christian Science or of the public pub-lic at heart would suggest that unprepared unpre-pared and possibly unscrupulous individuals indi-viduals should be allowed to call them- selves teachers of Christian Science. "Christian Science, as all those know who come in touch with them, are what they are from individual experience. The Christian Science "denomination grows as the result of definite, demon-stratable demon-stratable mental, moral and physical benefits, accruing to those who come to It for help. . ' "In helping others to escape from the bondage of poverty,. Christian Scientists Scien-tists are dally performing a great iyim-ber iyim-ber of acts of charity which are for the knowledge of giver and recipient alone. It does not occur to them to tabulate these acts and furnish reports of them to the public, nor does the Christian Science denomination issue any bulletin bulle-tin of these acts. It was the advice of Jesus not to sound a trumpet when giving giv-ing alms. , "Those who have had financial relations rela-tions with the Christian Science denomination, denom-ination, the great body of people who attend Christian Science services, visit Christian Science reading-rooms, and enjoy the benefits of Christian Science prayer are fully qualified to Judge for themselves concerning the value of what they receive, while the still greater great-er body of those who know Christian Scientists need only turn to the latter for information. "Mrs. Eddy has never wavered and never doubted. Judged by her actions and her writings, she has never questioned ques-tioned the validity of her mission to the world, in spite of the suggestions of foe or friend. She has stood undaunted and undismayed, thounh often misrepresented misrepresent-ed because misunderstood. Much of the value of her work Is still unknown to the world at large, and will become known only as needed." |