christian science-第6节

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〃And　there　appeared　a　great　wonder　in　heaven；　a　woman　clothed　with　the
sun；　and　the　moon　under　her　feet；〃　etc。

The　woman　clothed　with　the　sun　will　be　a　portrait　of　Mrs。　Eddy。

Is　it　insanity　to　believe　that　Christian　Scientism　is　destined　to　make
the　most　formidable　show　that　any　new　religion　has　made　in　the　world
since　the　birth　and　spread　of　Mobammedanism；　and　that　within　a　century
from　now　it　may　stand　second　to　Rome　only；　in　numbers　and　power　in
Christendom？

If　this　is　a　wild　dream　it　will　not　be　easy　to　prove　it　so　just　yet；　I
think。　　There　seems　argument　that　it　may　come　true。　　The　Christian…
Science　〃boom；〃　proper；　is　not　yet　five　years　old；　yet　already　it　has　two
hundred　and　fifty　churches。

It　has　its　start；　you　see；　and　it　is　a　phenomenally　good　one。　　Moreover；
it　is　latterly　spreading　with　a　constantly　accelerating　swiftness。　　It
has　a　better　chance　to　grow　and　prosper　and　achieve　permanency　than　any
other　existing　〃ism〃；　for　it　has　more　to　offer　than　any　other。　　The　past
teaches　us　that　in　order　to　succeed；　a　movement　like　this　must　not　be　a
mere　philosophy；　it　must　be　a　religion；　also；　that　it　must　not　claim
entire　originality；　but　content　itself　with　passing　for　an　improvement　on
an　existing　religion；　and　show　its　hand　later；　when　strong　and
prosperouslike　Mohammedanism。

Next；　there　must　be　moneyand　plenty　of　it。

Next；　the　power　and　authority　and　capital　must　be　concentrated　in　the
grip　of　a　small　and　irresponsible　clique；　with　nobody　outside　privileged
to　ask　questions　or　find　fault。

Next；　as　before　remarked；　it　must　bait　its　hook　with　some　new　and
attractive　advantages　over　the　baits　offered　by　its　competitors。　　A　new
movement　equipped　with　some　of　these　endowmentslike　spiritualism；　for
instance　may　count　upon　a　considerable　success；　a　new　movement　equipped
with　the　bulk　of　themlike　Mohammedanism；　for　instance　may　count　upon
a　widely　extended　conquest。　　Mormonism　had　all　the　requisites　but　one　it
had　nothing　new　and　nothing　valuable　to　bait　with。　　Spiritualism　lacked
the　important　detail　of　concentration　of　money　and　authority　in　the　hands
of　an　irresponsible　clique。

The　above　equipment　is　excellent；　admirable；　powerful；　but　not　perfect。
There　is　yet　another　detail　which　is　worth　the　whole　of　it　put　together
and　more；　a　detail　which　has　never　been　joined　（in　the　beginning　of　a
religious　movement）　to　a　supremely　good　working　equipment　since　the　world
began；　until　now：　a　new　personage　to　worship。　　Christianity　had　the
Saviour；　but　at　first　and　for　generations　it　lacked　money　and
concentrated　power。　　In　Mrs。　Eddy；　Christian　Science　possesses　the　new
personage　for　worship；　and　in　additionhere　in　the　very　beginninga
working　equipment　that　has　not　a　flaw　in　it。　　In　the　beginning；
Mohammedanism　had　no　money；　and　it　has　never　had　anything　to　offer　its
client　but　heaven　nothing　here　below　that　was　valuable。　　In　addition　to
heaven　hereafter；　Christian　Science　has　present　health　and　a　cheerful
spirit　to　offer；　and　in　comparison　with　this　bribe　all　other　this…world
bribes　are　poor　and　cheap。　　You　recognize　that　this　estimate　is
admissible；　do　you　not？

To　whom　does　Bellamy's　〃Nationalism〃　appeal？　　Necessarily　to　the　few：
people　who　read　and　dream；　and　are　compassionate；　and　troubled　for　the
poor　and　the　hard…driven。　　To　whom　does　Spiritualism　appeal？　　Necessarily
to　the　few；　its　〃boom〃　has　lasted　for　half　a　century；　and　I　believe　it
claims　short　of　four　millions　of　adherents　in　America。　　Who　are　attracted
by　Swedenborgianism　and　some　of　the　other　fine　and　delicate　〃isms〃？　　The
few　again：　educated　people；　sensitively　organized；　with　superior　mental
endowments；　who　seek　lofty　planes　of　thought　and　find　their　contentment
there。　　And　who　are　attracted　by　Christian　Science？　　There　is　no　limit；
its　field　is　horizonless；　its　appeal　is　as　universal　as　is　the　appeal　of
Christianity　itself。　　It　appeals　to　the　rich；　the　poor；　the　high；　the
low；　the　cultured；　the　ignorant；　the　gifted；　the　stupid；　the　modest；　the
vain；　the　wise；　the　silly；　the　soldier；　the　civilian；　the　hero；　the
coward；　the　idler；　the　worker；　the　godly；　the　godless；　the　freeman；　the
slave；　the　adult；　the　child；　they　who　are　ailing　in　body　or　mind；　they
who　have　friends　that　are　ailing　in　body　or　mind。　　To　mass　it　in　a
phrase；　its　clientage　is　the　Human　Race。　　Will　it　march？　　I　think　so。

Remember　its　principal　great　offer：　to　rid　the　Race　of　pain　and　disease。
Can　it　do　so？　　In　large　measure；　yes。　　How　much　of　the　pain　and　disease
in　the　world　is　created　by　the　imaginations　of　the　sufferers；　and　then
kept　alive　by　those　same　imaginations？　　Four…fifths？　　Not　anything　short
of　that；　I　should　think。　　Can　Christian　Science　banish　that　four…fifths　？
I　think　so。　　Can　any　other　（organized）　force　do　it？　　None　that　I　know　of。
Would　this　be　a　new　world　when　that　was　accomplished？　　And　a　pleasanter
onefor　us　well　people；　as　well　as　for　those　fussy　and　fretting　sick
ones？　　Would　it　seem　as　if　there　was　not　as　much　gloomy　weather　as　there
used　to　be？　　I　think　so。

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…min