christian science-第6部分

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In　the　mean　time；　would　the　Scientist　kill　off　a　good　many　patients？　　I
think　so。　　More　than　get　killed　off　now　by　the　legalized　methods　？　　I
will　take　up　that　question　presently。

At　present；　I　wish　to　ask　you　to　examine　some　of　the　Scientist's
performances；　as　registered　in　his　magazine；　The　Christian　Science
Journal　October　number；　1898。　　First；　a　Baptist　clergyman　gives　us　this
true　picture　of　〃the　average　orthodox　Christian〃and　he　could　have　added
that　it　is　a　true　picture　of　the　average　（civilized）　human　being：

〃He　is　a　worried　and　fretted　and　fearful　man；　afraid　of　himself　and　his
propensities；　afraid　of　colds　and　fevers；　afraid　of　treading　on　serpents
or　drinking　deadly　things。〃

Then　he　gives　us　this　contrast：

〃The　average　Christian　Scientist　has　put　all　anxiety　and　fretting　under
his　feet。　　He　does　have　a　victory　over　fear　and　care　that　is　not　achieved
by　the　average　orthodox　Christian。〃

He　has　put　all　anxiety　and　fretting　under　his　feet。　　What　proportion　of
your　earnings　or　income　would　you　be　willing　to　pay　for　that　frame　of
mind；　year　in；　year　out？　　It　really　outvalues　any　price　that　can　be　put
upon　it。　　Where　can　you　purchase　it；　at　any　outlay　of　any　sort；　in　any
Church　or　out　of　it；　except　the　Scientist's？

Well；　it　is　the　anxiety　and　fretting　about　colds；　and　fevers；　and
draughts；　and　getting　our　feet　wet；　and　about　forbidden　food　eaten　in
terror　of　indigestion；　that　brings　on　the　cold　and　the　fever　and　the
indigestion　and　the　most　of　our　other　ailments；　and　so；　if　the　Science
can　banish　that　anxiety　from　the　world　I　think　it　can　reduce　the　world's
disease　and　pain　about　four…fifths。

In　this　October　number　many　of　the　redeemed　testify　and　give　thanks；　and
not　coldly；　but　with　passionate　gratitude。　　As　a　rule　they　seem　drunk
with　health；　and　with　the　surprise　of　it；　the　wonder　of　it；　the
unspeakable　glory　and　splendor　of　it；　after　a　long；　sober　spell　spent　in
inventing　imaginary　diseases　and　concreting　them　with　doctor…stuff。　　The
first　witness　testifies　that　when　〃this　most　beautiful　Truth　first　dawned
on　him〃　he　had　〃nearly　all　the　ills　that　flesh　is　heir　to〃；　that　those　he
did　not　have　he　thought　he　had　and　this　made　the　tale　about　complete。
What　was　the　natural　result？　　Why；　he　was　a　dump…pit　〃for　all　the
doctors；　druggists；　and　patent　medicines　of　the　country。〃　　Christian
Science　came　to　his　help；　and　〃the　old　sick　conditions　passed　away；〃　and
along　with　them　the　〃dismal　forebodings〃　which　he　had　been　accustomed　to
employ　in　conjuring　up　ailments。　　And　so　he　was　a　healthy　and　cheerful
man；　now；　and　astonished。

But　I　am　not　astonished；　for　from　other　sources　I　know　what　must　have
been　his　method　of　applying　Christian　Science。　　If　I　am　in　the　right；　he
watchfully　and　diligently　diverted　his　mind　from　unhealthy　channels　and
compelled　it　to　travel　in　healthy　ones。　　Nothing　contrivable　by　human
invention　could　be　more　formidably　effective　than　that；　in　banishing
imaginary　ailments　and　in　closing　the　entrances　against　sub…sequent
applicants　of　their　breed。　　I　think　his　method　was　to　keep　saying；　〃I　am
well！　　I　am　sound！sound　and　well！　　well　and　sound！　　Perfectly　sound；
perfectly　well！　　I　have　no　pain；　there's　no　such　thing　as　pain！　　I　have
no　disease；　there's　no　such　thing　as　disease！　　Nothing　is　real　but　Mind；
all　is　Mind；　All…Good　Good…Good；　Life；　Soul；　Liver；　Bones；　one　of　a
series；　ante　and　pass　the　buck！〃

I　do　not　mean　that　that　was　exactly　the　formula　used；　but　that　it
doubtless　contains　the　spirit　of　it。　　The　Scientist　would　attach　value　to
the　exact　formula；　no　doubt；　and　to　the　religious　spirit　in　which　it　was
used。　　I　should　think　that　any　formula　that　would　divert　the　mind　from
unwholesome　channels　and　force　it　into　healthy　ones　would　answer　every
purpose　with　some　people；　though　not　with　all。　　I　think　it　most　likely
that　a　very　religious　man　would　find　the　addition　of　the　religious　spirit
a　powerful　reinforcement　in　his　case。

The　second　witness　testifies　that　the　Science　banished　〃an　old　organic
trouble；〃　which　the　doctor　and　the　surgeon　had　been　nursing　with　drugs
and　the　knife　for　seven　years。

He　calls　it　his　〃claim。〃　　A　surface…miner　would　think　it　was　not　his
claim　at　all；　but　the　property　of　the　doctor　and　his　pal　the　surgeonfor
he　would　be　misled　by　that　word；　which　is　Christian…Science　slang　for
〃ailment。〃　　The　Christian　Scientist　has　no　ailment；　to　him　there　is　no
such　thing；　and　he　will　not　use　the　hateful　word。　　All　that　happens　to
him　is　that　upon　his　attention　an　imaginary　disturbance　sometimes
obtrudes　itself　which　claims　to　be　an　ailment　but　isn't。

This　witness　offers　testimony　for　a　clergyman　seventy　years　old　who　had
preached　forty　years　in　a　Christian　church；　and　has　now　gone　over　to　the
new　sect。　　He　was　〃almost　blind　and　deaf。〃　　He　was　treated　by　the　C。　　S。
method；　and　〃when　he　heard　the　voice　of　Truth　he　saw　spiritually。〃　　Saw
spiritually？　　It　is　a　little　indefinite；　they　had　better　treat　him　again。
Indefinite　testimonies　might　properly　be　waste…basketed；　since　there　is
evidently　no　lack　of　definite　ones　procurable；　but　this　C。　　S。　　magazine
is　poorly　edited；　and　so　mistakes　of　this　kind　must　be　expected。

The　next　witness　is　a　soldier　of　the　Civil　War。　　When　Christian　Science
found　him；　he　had　in　stock　the　following　claims　：

Indigestion；
Rheumatism；
Catarrh；
Chalky　deposits　in
Shoulder…joints；
Arm…joints；
Hand…joints；
Insomnia；
Atrophy　of　the　muscles　of
Arms。
Shoulders；
Stiffness　of　all　those　joints；
Excruciating　pains　most　of　the　time。

These　claims　have　a　very　substantial　sound。　　They　came　of　exposure　in　the
campaigns。　　The　doctors　did　all　they　could；　but　it　was　little。　　Prayers
were　tried；　but　〃I　never　realized　any　physical　relief　from　that　source。〃
After　thirty　years　of　torture；　he　went　to　a　Christian　Scientist　and　took
an　hour's　treatment　and　went　home　painless。　　Two　days　later；　he　〃began　to
eat　like　a　well　man。〃　　Then　〃the　claims　vanishedsome　at　once；　others
more　gradually〃；　finally；　〃they　have　almost　entirely　disappeared。〃　　And
a　thing　which　is　of　still　greater　valuehe　is　now　〃contented　and　happy。〃
That　is　a　detail　which；　as　earlier　remarked；　is　a　Scientist…Church
specialty。　　And；　indeed；　one　may　go　further　and　assert　with　little　or　no
exaggeration　that　it　is　a　Christian…Science　monopoly。　　With　thirty…one
years'　effort；　the　Methodist　Church　had　not　succeeded　in　furnishing　it　to
this　harassed　soldier。

And　so　the　tale　goes　on。　　Witness　after　witness　bulletins　his　claims；
declares　their　prompt　abolishment；　and　gives　Mrs。　Eddy's　Discovery　the
praise。　　Milk…leg　is　cured；　nervous　prostration　is　cured；　consumption　is
cured；　and　St。　　Vitus's　dance　is　made　a　pastime。　　Even　without　a　fiddle。
And　now　and　then　an　interesting　new　addition　to　the　Science　slang　appears
on　the　page。　　We　have　〃demonstrations　over　chilblains〃　and　such　things。
It　seems　to　be　a　curtailed　way　of　saying　〃demonstrations　of　the　power　of
Christian…Science　Truth　over　the　fiction　which　masquerades　under　the　name
of　Chilblains。〃　　The　children；　as　well　as　the　adults；　share　in　the
blessings　of　the　Science。　　〃Through　the　study　of　the　'little　book'　they
are　learning　how　to　be　healthful；　peaceful；　and　wise。〃　　Sometimes　they
are　cured　of　their　little　claims　by　the　professional　healer；　and
sometimes　more　advanced　children　say　over　the　formula　and　cure
themselves。

A　little　Far…Western　girl　of　nine；　equipped　with　an　adult　vocabulary；
states　her　age　and　says；　〃I　thought　I　would　write　a　demonstration　to
you。〃　　She　had　a　claim；　derived　from　getting　flung　over　a　pony's　head　and
landed　on　a　rockpile。　　She　saved　herself　from　disaster　by　remembering　to
say　〃God　is　All〃　while　she　was　in　the　air。　　I　couldn't　have　done　it。　　I
shouldn't　even　have　thought　of　it。　　I　should　have　been　too　excited。
Nothing　but　Christian　Science　could　have　enabled　that　child　to　do　that
calm　and　thoughtful　and　judicious　thing　in　those　circumstances。　　She　came
down　on　her　head；　and　by　all　the　rules　she　should　have　broken　it；　but　the
intervention　of　the　formula　prevented　that；　so　the　only　claim　resulting
was　a　blackened　eye。　　Monday　morning　it　was　still　swollen　and　shut。　　At
school　〃it　hurt　pretty　badlythat　is；　it　seemed　to。〃　　So　〃I　was　excused；
and　went　down　to　the　basement　and　said；　'Now　I　am　depending　on　mamma
instead　of　God；　and　I　will　depend　on　God　instead　of　mamma。'〃　No　doubt
this　would　have　answered；　but；　to　make　sure；　she　added　Mrs。　Eddy　to　the
team　and　recited　〃the　Scientific　Statement　of　Being；〃　which　is　one　of　the
principal　incantations；　I　judge。　　Then　〃I　felt　my　eye　opening。〃　　Why；
dear；　it　would　have　opened　an　oyster。　　I　think　it　is　one　of　the
touchingest　things　in　child…history；　that　pious　little　rat　down　cellar
pumping　away　at　the　Scientific　Statement　of　Being。

There　is　a　page　about　another　good　childlittle　Gordon。　　Little　Gordon
〃came　into　the　world　without　the　assistance　of　surgery　or　anaesthetics。〃
He　was　a　〃demonstration。〃　　A　painless　one；　therefore；　his　coming　evoked
〃joy　and　thankfulness　to　God　and　the　Discoverer　of　Christian　Science。〃
It　is　a　noticeable　feature　of　this　literaturethe　so　frequent　linking
together　of　the　Two　Beings　in　an　equal　bond；　also　of　Their　Two　Bibles。
When　little　Gordon　was　two　years　old；　〃he　was　playing　horse　on　the　bed；
where　I　had　left　my　'little　book。'　I　noticed　him　stop　in　his　play；　take
the　book　carefully　in　his　little　hands；　kiss　it　softly；　then　look　about
for　the　highest　place　of　safety　his　arms　could　reach；　and　put　it　there。〃
This　pious　act　filled　the　mother　〃with　such　a　train　of　thought　as　I　had
never　experienced　before。　　I　thought　of　the　sweet　mother　of　long　ago　who
kept　things　in　her　heart；〃　etc。　　It　is　a　bold　comparison；　however；
unconscious　profanations　are　about　as　common　in　the　mouths　of　the　lay
member　ship　of　the　new　Church　as　are　frank　and　open　ones　in　the　mouths　of
its　consecrated　chiefs。

Some　days　later；　the　family　libraryChristian…Science　bookswas　lying
in　a　deep…seated　window。　　This　was　another　chance　for　the　holy　child　to
show　off。　　He　left　his　play　and　went　there　and　pushed　all　the　books　to
one　side；　except　the　Annex　〃It　he　took　in　both　hands；　slowly　raised　it　to
his　lips；　then　removed　it　carefully；　and　seated　himself　in