FALSE INVESTIGATION
The next morning about 9 o'clock the Rev. Williams put on his coat and
hat and said, "Walter, I am going out calling and will probably be
gone until lunch time."
Ten minutes later he was seated in an easy chair in Parson Jones's
study. After a few commonplace remarks he said, "Rev. Jones, I came
over here to ask your advice about something I do not seem able to
satisfy myself on."
Rev. Jones was a short, fleshy man, with red hair and face; he was
noted for being a well educated and well read man, also of being very
short and sharp in his speech, always speaking directly to the point.
So he said, "Well, what is it?"
"I came to ask you if you know anything about this new cult called
Christian Science?"
"Nothing to it at all."
"My boy, Walter, claims to have been healed by reading the text book,
'Science and Health.'" "A book full of rubbish, heresy, and nonsense."
"The boy is well now, and you know he has always been sick since he
was a child."
"Reading that book didn't heal him."
"Still he claims it did, he stopped taking medicine, began reading the
book, and soon we saw he was improving."
"Rest assured it wasn't the book."
"He does not claim it was the book, but the truth the book contained
that did the work."
"Nonsense! there is no truth in that book."
"How, then, can we account for his getting well?"
"Probably the after effect of the medicine, or else he only believed
himself sick."
"That is just what he claims, that he was only sick in belief and not
in reality."
"Just as I thought," said the Rev. Jones.
"What do you mean, Mr. Jones?"
"He is another one of those simple-minded fellows who believed they
were sick, and then claim reading that book cured them," said Rev.
Jones.
"But I employed the best physicians and specialists, and they all
agreed that he had hereditary consumption and was incurable."
"Most of these physicians are numbskulls and quacks."
"Do you call Professor Chas. William Canterbury of the University of
Canterbury a numbskull or quack?"
"Eh, no, of course not."
"He examined him thoroughly about a year ago and agreed with the
diagnosis of the other physicians; furthermore he told me the boy could
not live more than a year, and it was about this time that he began
to fail very rapidly," said the Rev. Williams.
"When did he begin to mend?"
"It was just at the time when he was failing rapidly that he found a
copy of 'Science and Health' on the street, and he claims that as soon
as he began the reading of the book he began to get better."
"This must be the work of the devil; it never was the book. You had
better be careful, Rev. Williams," said the Rev. Jones, with a startled
look. "So I told the boy, and he asked me a question which I would
like to ask you."
"What is it?"
"Do you consider it good that my boy is well, Rev. Jones?"
"Why certainly."
"Did you ever hear of the devil doing good?"
"No," said the Rev. Jones, with a shake of his head.
"Then how can you say his getting well is the work of the devil who
never does anything good?"
Rev. Jones sat back in his chair with a jerk.
"Rev. Williams, do you intend to defend this heretical cult?"
"Certainly not. I merely gave you the answer my boy gave me."
"A very bright answer, when you think of it," said Rev. Jones, rather
stiffly.
"Especially so, coming from one of those simple-minded fellows who
only believed they were sick and then claimed that book healed them."
It had nettled the Rev. Williams a little to hear his son called
simple-minded, after the boy had shown that his knowledge of the deep
things of the Bible surpassed his own, hence his reply.
"Well, all I've got to say is that there is nothing in Christian
Science," said Mr. Jones, with a bored look on his face.
"Rev. Jones, I did not come here out of idle curiosity, for you well
know my wife has been sick for years with tuberculosis, and has been
gradually failing until at the present time she is confined to her
bed, and our family physician doesn't think she will ever get up from
it. My son claims that Christian Science has cured him and that it
will cure his mother if I will consent to try it. I told him I would
not, and he said forever hereafter he would blame my unreasonable
prejudice for his mother's death, and knowing you to be a very well
read man, I came to you for advice."
"I have given you my opinion of it."
"On what do you base your opinion?"
"On what I have heard and read about it."
"Did you ever investigate it thoroughly, Rev. Jones?" "Thoroughly
enough to convince myself of the fallacy of its teachings."
"Did you ever talk to one of those practitioners?"
"No. They are a lot of hair-brained women and know no more than the
author of 'Science and Health,'" said the Rev. Jones with a contemptuous
toss of his head.
"Did you ever read what they call their textbook, 'Science and Health?'"
"No, my time is too valuable to waste it on reading nonsense."
"How do you know it is nonsense?"
"I have heard enough of what it contains."
"Can you quote something, Mr. Jones?"
"Yes, here are some of the things printed in that book:
"There is no death. You haven't a body. Your stomach can't ache. There
is no matter. Brains can't think. There is no sickness. There is no
sin. There is no evil. All is good, Good is God, God is Mind, Mind is
God, God is all." He stopped and looked at the Rev. Williams, then
continued, "All what, I would like to know."
"Are you sure the book contains these things?" "Certainly, I have it
from a man who bought a book."
"If the book contains such assertions, it certainly must be nonsense."
"Nonsense, I should say so. No one but a demented person would write
such stuff."
"I am glad I came to see you about this thing, as I hardly knew what
to say to Walter in reply to his accusations of being prejudiced."
"Oh, it's always well to investigate a new thing of this kind before
you condemn it, at least that is what I did."
"But you say you never read the book yourself?"
"No, I never saw the book myself, but my friend Dr. Thompson has one."
"Do you know whether he has read it carefully?"
"No, he never read it through, he intended to, but when he saw such
assertions as I quoted to you, he could see there was nothing in it."
"Why, certainly, of course. You must excuse me, Mr. Jones, for acting
carefully in this matter, because of the condition of my wife." "I
would do the same if I were in your place, but you can rest assured
there is nothing in it."
"I suppose not, yet I wish there was for my wife's sake."
"You wouldn't dare use it if there was, they would cast you from your
church."
"But no one need know it, Rev. Jones."
"Do you think one of those female practitioners could keep such a good
thing? They would be pleased beyond measure to be employed by a
minister, and would scatter the news to the four winds of heaven."
"I hadn't thought of that; thank you, Mr. Jones, for pointing out to
me the danger of employing one of those Christian Scientists. I also
thank you for showing me the nonsense of thinking Christian Science
could cure my wife of something that the best physicians pronounce
incurable. I must be going now, as I wish to talk it all over with my
son. Good day, Rev. Jones."
"Good bye, Rev. Williams, call again."
"I shall be pleased to."
The pastor wended his way home, well satisfied with himself. Walter
could not now accuse him of being prejudiced, for he had given Christian
Science an impartial investigation, besides he was congratulating
himself that he had been wise enough to consult with a deep-thinking
man like Parson Jones, before employing a practitioner, for that
practitioner would have delighted in telling it to every person in his
parish, and this would have resulted in the loss of his position. The
parson felt he had had a narrow escape from a great trouble.
As soon as he arrived home he called Walter to the library and told
him of his visit to Parson Jones, and also what Rev. Jones had said
regarding Christian Science.
Walter was somewhat surprised at the news, but after a moment he said,
"You say you have given Christian Science an impartial investigation?"
"Yes, Walter, I have; you see I was not as prejudiced as you thought.
I talked for an hour with Parson Jones, and he convinced me that it
was nothing but a lot of rubbish and nonsense."
"What does Parson Jones know about it?" "Why, Walter, Mr. Jones is
considered the best educated man in our city."
"Best educated in what?"
"In every thing in general."
"Did Parson Jones ever study Christian Science under a qualified
Christian Science teacher?"
"No, I think not."
"Did he ever study 'Science and Health,' the text-book of this science?"
"No, he considered it a waste of time."
"Did he ever read 'Science and Health'?"
"No."
"Did he ever see the book?"
"He said not."
"Then he certainly must be a very bright man to know what Christian
Science is. For a man that can know all about a science of any kind
without taking instructions, without studying, without reading, without
seeing the text-book of that science, is certainly a remarkably wise
man."
"But, Walter, he got his information in a different way."
"How was that, father?" "His friend Dr. Thompson bought a 'Science and
Health' and told him all about it."
"Was Dr. Thompson ever taught Christian Science?"
"No, I guess not."
"Did he ever study or read 'Science and Health'?"
"He intended to read it, but when he saw such ridiculous assertions
in it, he considered it folly to read it," said the pastor.
"Another one of those wise men that know all about a science without
instruction, study, or reading."
"What do you mean, Walter?"
"Father, if Dr. Thompson had told you that he knew all about medicine
by simply glancing into a medical book, would you believe him?"
"Certainly not!"
"And if he had found therein some quotations that he did not understand,
would you think it strange?" said Walter.
"No."
"And if he should tell you that those quotations which he did not
understand were rubbish and nonsense, would you consider him a good
authority?"
"No, how could he be," replied the pastor.
"Then, why should you believe him in regard to Christian Science, when
he confesses that he never studied or read the text book of this
science?"
"But everybody says there is nothing to Christian Science," said the
pastor.
"So did everybody say the earth was flat until it was proven round,"
replied Walter.
"That's the point exactly; none of our learned men have been able to
prove that the claims of Christian Science are true," said the pastor
quickly.
"That is because they do not go to those who can furnish the proof."
"Who can prove it, Walter?"
"Many thousands of those who were healed and the practitioners in
particular."
"Parson Jones said they are a lot of hair-brained women."
"Does that make them so?" asked the boy. "No, yet he ought to know
what he is talking about."
"Did Parson Jones ever have a talk with one of those hair-brained
women, as he calls them?"
"No, I don't think he did, but he says he has investigated this cult
sufficiently to know there is nothing in it," said the pastor, rather
quietly.
"I suppose, father, he gave it what you call an impartial investigation,
and probably went about it in the same way you did. You went to a man
for advice on a subject he had never studied and who was so prejudiced
he would not take the time to prove whether it was right or wrong, yet
he professed to know all about it, and advised you to let it alone.
Now, father, if you wanted advice pertaining to a foreign country,
would you go to a man who had never been there, and hadn't even read
about it, or would you go to some one who had lived there for many
years?"
"I should certainly go to the man who had been there," said the pastor.
"Then when you want information regarding Christian Science, why don't
you go to a Christian Scientist?" said his son. The pastor was silent
for a moment, then said, "I see what you mean, Walter; my going to see
Rev. Jones about Christian Science is like going to a blacksmith for
information pertaining to surgery."
"Yes, father."
"I guess you are right, Walter. I believe I will go to see a
practitioner, for if there is anything on this earth that can help
your mother I will let nothing stand in the way of a trial of it."
"Oh! thank you, father, I will go now and see if this practitioner can
come to see you."
"Who is this practitioner?"
"Mrs. White, who lives down on Grant St.; she promised to come any
time I would ask her to."
When Walter said Mrs. White, the pastor recalled what Parson Jones
said regarding these lady practitioners telling all his parishioners,
and the possibility of his losing his position; this made him very
much afraid, so he said:
"Wait a minute, Walter, let us talk this matter over a little before
you go. Had you thought of the position it would place me in to have
a Christian Science practitioner coming to our home every day? And
most likely she would be delighted to tell all her friends that the
Rev. Williams of the Park Row Church had been compelled to call her
in to treat his wife."
"No, father, I do not think she would say a word about it."
"But some of my parishioners might see her coming here every day, and
then I would be in danger of losing my position."
"Father, would you let your position stand in the way of saving mother's
life?"
The pastor did not answer at once, but was thinking deeply; at length
he looked up and said, "Walter, your persistence has won the day. I
will at least have a talk with this practitioner; you may tell her to
come this evening if she will, and I will talk with her."
"Oh, father, how happy you have made me. And I know you will change
your opinion of this lady practitioner after a few minutes' talk with
her, and I feel confident that through her my mother will be made
well."
"I pray God it will be as you say."
Several minutes later Walter was on his way to the practitioner's. In
due time he was back and told his father she had promised to come that
evening at 7:30.