Christian Science.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 14056, 13 November 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

Christian Science.

POWER OF IMAGINATION. Of tho book, "Mesmerism »"<! Christian Science," (by Frank Podmore), Clarence Rook, the well known London "Daily Chronicle" writer, pens following: — Mr. Podmore has read widely, thought carefully, and with a delightful humour has traced the history of healing from the time that Mesmer came to Paris to the time when churches wore built and filled with disciples of Mrs Eddy and Christian Science became D\\a latest hope of humanity. There have always been quacks as opposed to the doctors, spiritual healers as opposed to the dealers in drugs and lancets, the people who dug knives into the flesh and tho people who appealed to the imagination.

Mr. Podmore gives much information of Mesmer and his distinguished patinets sitting round a tub for magnetic treatment, and solemn consultations of official doctors as'to tile efficacy of results; lie passes through spiritualism, clairvoyance, and so forth until, he come to Christian Science. , And he suspects with . a vague wonder, that imagination has effected-a cure of the human ills. As it effected the cure in the day. of Mesmer, so, if I may interpret Mr. Podmore's impartial judgement, it may effect, the e.ure to-day in the people who follow Mrs. Eddy or anyone else who can erapple the imagination. And Mrs Eddy has managed to touch the imagination of many thousands while (as Mr Podmore points out with grini humour) making a very good living for herself. Good living—imagination—they are the notes that sound. And t|ie ordinary reader of Mr Podmore's volume will fasten oh his sketch of Mrs Eddy's commercial instinct and his history of the movement which lie . regards as starting with Mesmer. Mrs Eddy is something of a mystery, and her personality seems to have retired behind a. veil. But Mr Podmore has been looking into her'private income, and found that her writings are sold at preposterous prices. It is true that the cheapest form of the textbook. "Science and Health'' costs 12s'64.in England, but the- work has run into more than ! 400 " editions." Mr Podmore. with' the cold eye .of the'scientist, .'the research of .the student, the observation* of the detective and the humour of himself, has admitted that somehow or other the machine works. " The secret of Mrs Eddy's extraordinary influence over her' followers can be told in a word. She lias brought them' healing and comfort." Mr Podmore lias listened to the evidences' given by amateurs 'in ' public speaking at the Wednesday evening ■meetings in Christian Science churches. People who did " for years feel sick and miserable: .they ihave now, for years, been feeling strong and healthy. Life before coming across ' Sricnce and Health' was a burden; it is now a joy. Testimony of this, kind is proof against criticism." The thing happens. Is it imagination—or is imagination Hie'root of all happiness and suffering In othp"- words, is tho mind supreme? From Mesmer to Mrs Eddy,. Mr Podmore traces the appeal tto mutd over body. It is no longer a. matter of drugs or symptoms or any question of disea.se. They appear to start from the other end—disease, sin, are not real. • And putting the case

without authority, I should say that the attitude of the Christian Scientist, is that of one who cultivates his imagination—which may hp interpreted as faith—and regards himself as the partner in a non-suffering and ■never-sinking faith that controls ; ; the whole of things. '"Hie New Religion is without theenthusiasm of Humanity." Mr Podroore finds ithat the religion of-Chris-tian Science "oils the wheels of the domestic machinery, smooths out business troubles, releases from fear, promotes happiness. But it is entirely egoistic in expression."' Here, perhaps, he misses the cult of 'the imagination that lies at the root of the doctrine. It is not the business, you will perceive, of the Christian Science healer to give drugs, or money, or anything but the assurance and .firm belief that divine love wi" supply everything. And when find Mr Podmore chronicling I'—1 '— moral benefits which these men »•"' women have attained —the' men -<-4 women who rise nervously; at the Wednesday evening meetincs —we hav to eonclude that the "lives of i»nnv Christian Scientists do,' in f-.ct, form the best advertisement of their creed."