48
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE.
HIS LORDSHIP THE BISHOP'S VIEWS.
" Dr.
inter.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
same statement recars,
•
**
66
|
|
had a
•
-
$4
64
*
[July 23, 1906, this compare Mrs. Eddy's statement: "Lite, word as authoritative. Let us therefore take Truth, and Love constituto the trinne Person the narrative of Hezekiah's healing, about which called God-that is the triply divine Principle, I was speaking two Sundays ago, and see what Love. They represent a trinity in unity, thres help, what spiritual gain, we can get from it, as in one-the same in essence though multiform viewed in the light of Christian Science. Down in office. God the Father; Christ the spiritual to the passage, Isaiah. xxxviii., ** In 'those idea of sonship; divine Science or the Holy days," we read, was 'H 'zekiah sick unto At St. John's Cathedral on July 22nd his parody the doctrine of the Holy Trinity: note Comforter. (p. 331). Note the attempt to
death v. 1, and from v. 21 we learn that ha Lordship Bishop Hoare delivered an
boil", or
botch" as the word is trang- esting sermon on · Hezekiah's Sickness and
the denial of the personality of the Son and of Isted elsewhere. This is a mistike, says Christian Science", taking his text from Isaiah
the Holy Ghost. Note, to, the shocking Christian Science, "Man is incapable of sin. 380. 1v.
nature of the last sentence: "Divine Science sickness, and death" (p. 475). “It is erroneous is the Holy Ghost the Comforter! Ous turns to believer in the existence of a tamour or ■- over the pages of the book in the hope that in giacer" (p. 395). Hes kish only thought that a book that is full of contradictions, there may he had a boil; the unreality smed real to sentence wrong. be something to show that one has read the his human belief" (p. 472). Isaiah the prophet, But no; again and again thị however, came to him not, as Christian Seisucs In the words of St. would teach, to silently reassure the patient as John (writes Mrs. Eddy), He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you (p. 411), but to confirm his erroneous belief with
to his exemption from disease and danger forever. This Comforter I understand to be a message from God:-"Set thine house in Divine Science" (p.55). My lipsshrink from utter order; for thou shalt die and not live" (v. 1.) ing such things: butI feel that, in treating of this What are we to say about the inspired prophet? subject, it is my duty to point out that through. The explanation, which offers itself in Mrs. out this book we are taught that the Holy Eddy's book, is sadly painful, but I must give host the Comforter, whom the whole of the it. He was a prophet of the Lord, that is, of Church Catholic confirms to be The Lord and Jehovah. Now this term, which is used Giver of Life, who with the Father and the Son throughout the inspired scriptures of the Old together is worshipped and glorified", by whom Testament, is only used, we are told, when the we ourselves have been quickened into life, true scientific statements of the scripturəs divine Science" (p. 588), Mrs. Eddy's become clouded, through a physical sense of
discovery." Again with regard to the manner
God as finite and corporeal. From this follow and purpose of the Incarnation, in Article 1. idolatry and mythology (p. 59 )). So Isaiah the it is stated that "two whole and perfect natures, prophet of Jehovah, whose glorious descriptions that is to say the Godhead and Manhood were of the majesty of the infinite God, and denuncia- joined together in one Person, never to be diri, tions of idolatry, are unsurpassed even in whereof is one Christ, very God and vert Mad: sacred literature, was but the ignorant who truly suffered, was crucified, dead a messenger of what Mra. Eddy calls "a finite buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be and corporel God". I almost shrink from * sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also pursuing the subject. You know how Hez. kiab for all actual sins of men". reconcile with this the frequent statements of prayer,
Is it possible to prayed. "God," says Mrs. Eddy, speaking of "is not moved by the breath of praise Mrs. Eddy about the "dual personality" of Jesus to do more than He has already done" (p. 2). Christ (p. 334 etc.)? Or what are we to say of Yet we read that the message came again to the statement that " His disciples believed Jeans Hezekiah, "Thus saith the Lord, the God of dead while he was hidden in the sepulchre, David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, whereas he was alive" (p. 4)? Or again I have seen thy tears: behold I will add unto the teaching that we must not pin our thy days fifteen years (v. 5) Thea Isiah faith to another vicarious effort (22), sail Let them take a lamp of figs, and lay ΟΣ that Jesus suffered for our sins, not to it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall anunl the divine sentence-gainst an in- recover" (v. 21). Again, according to Mrs. dividual's sin, but
to show ha sin Eddy. Isaiah was in grievous error. · Drugs must bring inevitable suffering (p
and hygiene oppose the supremacy of the What then becomes of the countless piss.riu, Mind" (p.484). "To employ drugs for ages of scripture to the effect that Christ the cute or disai-erows a lack of faith in is the propitiation for our sin, and that God" (p. 319). But yet Hezekiah recovered; He gare
His life a ransom for may nay more, he attributed his recovery directly gaiu, is it consistent with the Christian to God's interposition. "What shall I say? Faith to hold that Christ did not ascend into He hath both spoken to me, and himself hath Hearen with all things appertaining to the done it" (v. 15); “ The Lord is ready to save perfection of Mau's Nature (p. 3344c.f. Aft iv)| me v. 20). What shall we say? Shall we And once more, is it consistent with Christs agros with the inspired song of Hezekiah ? or commands to the faith and practice of any shall we agree with Mrs. Eddy? She writes, Christian Church to call the sacrament of te Lord's Supper
a dead rite', and to say that it is not necessary "to do this in remembrance? of Him until His coming again? (p. 31)?
I am afraid that I have taken much of your time in enumerating those points in which the teaching of Christian Science differs on fundamentals from the teaching of Catholic Christendom. But I have been constrained to do so because, as I have said, I know that there are those in Hongkong who bate b en led into dalliance with this system, as being a system of beating, in the belief that it is not opposed to adherence to the truth of the Gospe and faith in Christ as the saviour of mankind. I think that I have said enough to show that the two things are incompatible and if anyone wishes to verify my quotations I shall be most happy to afford them the opportunity to do so.
+
His Lordship said: It is a remarkable feature of the present day that on all sites we see new sects springing up. Both in England and Americs, especially in the latter country, during the last fifty years, men and women have ariseu, who have claimed to have received some special revelation, or to have made some new discovery with regard to religion. They have collected a few followers, and have formed sects These sects have in many cases grown and, for a time at any rate, apparently prospered. Some it is true have already practically disappeared, but others have increased, and have gained a large number of adherents. In considering these sects it is worthy of remark that many of them have based their claims to attention on one common feature, and that is ou some particular theory of healing without drugs or surgical appliances. Names like "The peculiar people" in England, or Dowie" in America, are probably fresh in the memories of many of you. We are apt to smile at the extravagances of such people, and to wouder ut the 811ccess with
which they gather adherents, and in some cases accumulate large sums of money. But I think that their succes may be accounted for, partly by a not unnatural revolt against the materialism of the age, the denial by many of the spiritual side of existence; and also partly by the fact that undoubtedly many people do recover from sickness without the use of medicines, and therefore those who claim to heal without the use of drugs will always be able to quote instances of such cases. At these sects there is one of which we have heard much of late in Hongkong. Many of us bave been more or less interested in what is called "Christian Science", which has been recently introduced into this Colony. Mrs. Eddy, the founder, is, as you know, au American. She professes to have made & "* sacred dis- covery
and it is her work to make this discovery known under the name of "Christian Science". Her "Science" embraces not religion only, but the whole schems of exis. tence; but she like others finds it expedient to bring healing into prominence as a means of gathering adherents in the early stages of her work. She learned, she tells us, that, this science must be demonstrated by healing, before a work on the subject could be profitably studied. But it seems to me, as I study her writings, that Mrs. Eddy's system must be distinguished from others in one import- ant respect. Other systems of healing even the more extravagant of them, are for the most part superstructures erected on the fundamental truths of Christianity; Christian Science subverts or denies these fundamental truths. I am not unaware that it has been stated in Hongkong that it is possible to be a follower of Christian Science without altering one's relationship to the Christian Church. But such a statement must be based on ignorance either of what Christian Science teaches, or of what the Christian Faith really is. I cannot of course attempt to discuss even in outline the whole system, but let me mention a few points on whiop Christian Science is in direct conflict with Catholic Christianity. Take for instance some of our XXXIX Articles. I quote them because, being based on scripture, they, at auy rate the earlier ones, express precisely the Catholic Faith of Christendom, formulated after lengthened discussion of many of the very points raised now again by Mrs. Eddy. The first Article states-"There is tat one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness: the Maker and Preserver of all things both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there be three Persons, of one substance, power, and eternity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost." With
14
י.
|
.
|
But now if we turn to the teaching about healing what do we find? Is Mre. Eddys teaching on this matter consistent with that of the Scriptures? She says that she takes the inspired Word of the Bible as our suficient guide to eternal life (p. 497). True, she usæ the inspired word after a fashion of her own. She has no hesitation about altering or adding words to suit her own theories, as, for instance, in the text were reconciled to God by the seeming] death of His Son (p. 45); nor does she hesitate to class Jewish theology, which is embodied in the inspired word of the Old Testament, with "heathen mythology" (p. 466). But still, in theory at any rate, she appeals to the inspired
19
"we
**
百业
The prayer of faith shall heal the sick, says the scripture. What is this healing prayer? A mere request that God w.li heal the sick has no power to gain more of the divine presence than is always at hand. The beu ficial effect of such prayer for the sick is on the human mind, making it sot more powerfully on the body through a blind faith in God. This, however, is one belief casting out anothera belief in the unknown casting out, a belief in sickness"; and again, 'Phis com- mon custom of praying for the recovery of the sick finds help in blind belief" (p: 12). My friends, is it a blind belief that we have a loving Father in heaven? Is it a blind belief chat, the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous an his ears are
open unto their prayers" (1st. Peter, iii, 12)? Is the Bible wrong when it teaches us to om as children into. a Father's presence, to be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to let our requests he mide known unto God”? "In everything", whatever your circumstances may be, in sickness or in health, in tempɔral affairs, in spiritual affairs, “iu everything” we are taught to take our requests and makethem known unto God.
**
His Lordship concluded with a touching appeal for continued faith in prayer, but on
orthodox lines.
[The references his Lorlship cited abore are from the two hundred aars venty-third edition of the book "Science and Health”, published in 1903.]
1