Christian Science would rob us of love. It is a startling fact that not
a dollar is given by Scientists to preach the Gospel among those who
have never heard the name of Jesus. They have no foreign missionary
societies. A Christian who had spent fifteen years in work among the
poor and degraded classes in New York City was rebuked by a Christian
Scientist for suggesting that her faith was not the faith of the Bible;
he asked her why it was that in his fifteen years’ experience, touching
all phases of work for the relief of the destitute in body and spirit
in New York, he had never come across a single Christian Scientist
helping in the work. She had no answer. It is a religion without
compassion.
Faith, hope, and love are linked together in a remarkable passage in
Hebrews 10:19-25. Close to the word faith is mention of “the blood
of Jesus”; not far from “hope” are the words “so much the more as ye
see the day drawing nigh”; and in close conjunction with “love” is
“good works.” Thus are these great foundation stones of the Christian
Faith linked in the Word of God. All of them are denied, and are made
impossible by Christian Science.
The antidote to Christian Science is the Word of God. But do they not
found their belief on the Bible? No. The Bible is not necessary to
Christian Science. Indeed, it is one of the great handicaps to the
system. Not many Scientists are as honest, or as well informed, as the
locomotive engineer who recently explained that Christian Scientists
knew that the Bible was not true, and that men would gradually give it
up; but it had such a hold on people that no religion could hope to
have a hearing unless it professed to be founded on the Bible. When
people get hold of the truth of Christian Science, they will see,
he added, that the Bible is not needed and is false; the purpose of
Christian Science is to lead people away from the error of the Bible.
That is certainly the purpose of the real founder of Christian Science,
whether or not it was in the mind of the woman he used to propagate the
cult.
And the antidote to superficial views of the Victorious Life, which
partake of these errors of Christian Science, is the Word of God. Feed
on it, meditate on it _day and night_. So will the living Word continue
to be your Life, guarding and keeping you in that victory which is
Christ.