Are You a Christian Scientist.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12765, 17 June 1911, Page 12 (Supplement)

Are You a Christian Scientist.

AN INTERESTING CHALLENGE TO THE BELIEVERS. BY Slg HIRAM MAXIM. During the last few weeks (says a Homo paper), there has been a lot of discussion in the Sunday newspapers regarding Christian Science, in which Mr Dixon, the high-apostle of Christian Science in Europe, has taken a leading part. Mr. Dixon has the utmost contempt for everyone who believes in the Hxistenco of matter. He contemptuously calls us believers in "lumps of stuff." • It has always appeared to me that it would be an extremely easy matter to prove the real existence of a brick. \v my ignorance I had imagined that «a brick was a hard, heavy, and un>ielding "lump of stuff," and I -was nbout to ask Mr. Dixon to prove the noh*existence of a brick by actual demonstration. Mr. Dixon, being a nlever and far-seeing philosopher, knew what I was thinking of, and has anticipated my Tvishes. He quotes from a, "Man of Science," and thi/> is the quotation:— Matter is only a thing imagined. • which we have constructed for ourselves very imperfectly to represent the constant element in the changing series of phenomena. Now we besin to understand the actual—that is that which arts upon us—is only energy, we luivo to ascertain by tests in what relation ths two conceptions stand-; and tlie result is- without a doubt that of energy alone can reality be predicted. To my mind the above explanation is as clear as mud.; the brick has completely disappeared— not even a "lump of stuff" is left. No further discussion is nonessary. Wu must all admit that Mr. Dixon has demonstrated beyond ar>y. shndow of doubt that a brick has no real existenco. NEAT ANSWERS. He had much to say about guns and of my profession of killing people, bufc really Mr. Dixon ought to be consistent at least. This is neither logical nor .fair. The bullets that are fired ■ out of my imaginary guns are only imaginary bullets—-they^ have no real existence; and the imaginary men that aro supposed to bp killed are not really dear!, but only imagine themselves dead. 1 am afraid to admit that Mrs. Eddy und her gifted and able English assistant have done rmich to simplify matters regarding religious subjects. If a man differs from me slightly on a, religious subject—gets the worst of tbo argument and tells me that I shall £v> # into everlast:n? flamos of fire and brimstone because I do nob believe exactly as he does—l shall say.to him: 'Impossible: how can there be flames or brimstone when brimstone has no real existence P The hot place, tho flatties, and the brimstone are only things of our imagination.

But there is one thing on which 1 am not satisfied,, and that is the cur:r>.g of disease. By far the greater Tuimher of dis?ascs are caused by somo mimito living germ, that manages in somo way or other to enter our body trr;d start « very thriving colony. _ I should liko to sr>e some demonstration to prove that these germs ran be in'lled hv Christian Science, either in lha body or in an artificial culture. I am perfectly willing to- admit that an imaginary disease can often be •cured by imaginary treatment; also that imaginary disense is often cured by a real remedy, and that a real disease can be cured by a real remedy. But what I doubt very munh is the possibility of otirins a real disease by tti imaginary- remedy. THE CHALLENGE. «. T would suggest the following exnorim^nt r Take a cane of well-developed irea-sles. for example, or any other i-~'l«ir dise!*s<"- tfi^t has a certain and /'-^♦ini+o W'oA to run T/ot all thn r*hnst!an fici^ntdit" in England unit? en ".:q r>r>e nati*»^t-. anr? s«e if they can •^n"t<Jri tho riitnuvn hrr p oinrrlfi <Jj».t». O- i^+, them "I 1 w:t° something still i""»«Ior—n ■v^rn|f_i-'nvp]r>p'-»d corn. A corn

is a very small thing, and I should say that fifty.or sixty.Christian Scientists, with their holy books, supplications, incantations, and genuflexions, oaght to be able to, remove it in a very short time—considering that a corn has no real existence I

If they cannot do any of these things, they are out-and-out humbugs jk< regards the curing of disease, no matter how expert they may be in causing bricks and "lumps of stuff to disappear.