Comparative and rational Christian science

Front matter

V

Class Book

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Preface

This book is the outgrowth of Yankee inquisitiveness. For the past twenty years the author has been investigating different cults in America and Europe in order to satisfy himself concerning the predominant force which captivates people's reason. He has during this period spent much time in the study and practice of psychology and suggestive therapeutics, and has to his own satisfaction solved the problem of cure through mind. It is probably safe to say that 90% of the followers of all of these cults are sincere, while 90% of leaders and promulgators are frauds. When any person comes forth and proclaims to the world that God has revealed to them the only message that has ever been given to his dear people since Jesus was on earth, and that God has been years fitting them for this Divine work, until they are prepared to transform a world of sin, sickness and death, into a land of health, happiness and everlasting life, it should at least set people to in* vestigating, in place of surrendering their reason to designing pretenders.

If God should select you to deliver a message to his people, what would you do with the message ? Would you give it to the people as instructed, or keep it yourself and copyright it, and sell it to the good people who thirst after Truth, charging them exorbitant prices? When you find any cult claiming to have a special revelation, which is the only truth that God has given his people, it is pretty safe to class them with impostors, but if you discover that they are using religion as working capital for accumulating wealth, then you can very easily render a decision. People who have never investigated the laws and power of suggestion are often misled when they learn of cures being effected by the different cults. The author will aim to prove, that cures are no proof whatever concerning the genuineness of the philosophy advocated by the promoters of these cults. He will also aim to show how thousands of people who are suffering from mental and physical ailments, can be greatly relieved without surrendering their good common-sense to any false doctoring.

Faith cure is all right in its place and in proper hands it can do a great good, but any cult that denies the power and necessity of pure water, pure air, healthy and nutritious food and proper exercise should be shunned.

Our motto is : Put all good things to a good use, and be Rational.

AUTHORS INTRODUCTION NEW LIGHT FROM AN OLD FLAME

It is a very old saying that "There is nothing new under the sun," and this proverbial declaration will certainly hold good in the case which we aim to demonstrate.

When the subject of Christian Science is alluded to, people at once associate the topic with Mary Baker Eddy, thinking she was the originator of this Title, and our readers will doubtless be greatly surprised to learn that an exhaustive work on Christian Science was written in the year 1850, by William Adams, who was a ripe scholar, a profound thinker and a scientific reasoner.

This was twenty-five years previous to the publication of Mrs. Eddy's book.

The circulation of Christian Science by Adams was doubtless very limited for several reasons. First, it was not a commercial enterprise, it was the result of an earnest, conscientious thinker and reasoner, who had but one object in view, which was to elucidate the minds of the people. Second, the work was too large and expensive to meet with ready sale. Third, there were no startling discoveries, prognosticating that the laws of nature were about to be suspended, and that by reading the book faithfully one would be immune from sin, sickness and death.

The book is thoroughly Christian and absolutely scientific, and treats upon many topics in a rational and convincing manner that should interest every individual regardless of religion, or any ism.

In this work the writer and compiler reproduces about one-fourth of the work on Christian Science which was written by Mr. Adams in 1850. The reader will appreciate the fact that while Mr. Adams dwelt largely upon the spiritual side of life, he by no means neglected the physical man. His article on the subject of recuperation is to the point, and in a few words explains clearly how nature restores the body to a normal condition without drugs.

Regarding the Human Body we will make many comparisons showing the difference of opinion as advocated by Mr. Adams anl Mrs. Eddy, leaving the reader to judge for himself which is right, for certainly both cannot be, as we could not conceive of two opinions being at greater variance.

Clearing Away the Clouds of Mystery. — Credulous people who have no knowledge of psychology are very easily converted to any kind of faith cure, and especially so when they have seen demonstrations with their own eyes, and heard testimonials with their own ears. They do not stop to reason or penetrate into the scientific cause of the transformation which they behold. The mind becomes so imbued with the absolute reality, that it is in a condition to accept any doctoring as the true cause of results produced.

For many years the writer has taken a deep interest in the different cults, each of which have illustrated that their philosophy was the only true and reliable course capable of guiding poor suffering humanity through the arduous struggles of life. The study of psychology clears away the clouds of mystery, and illumines the mind to an extent that absurdities will not take possession of the mind, and crowd out reason and good judgment.

Faith Cure is as old as civilization itself and possibly much older, and suggestion plays the important part regardless of the name which may be given to any of the cults.

io Introduction

In order to make lucid my ideas concerning the subject of Mental Healing, I will be obliged to make my demonstrations largely from personal observations and absolute experiences, which to myself are worth volumes of theory and hearsay, and with this experience I can easily comprehend how thousands of people are made firm adherents to any belief ever advocated. While living in the New England States from 1870 to 1880 I saw much of the workings of spiritualism, and there is no doubt but what many remarkable cures that were reported were genuine. I was personally acquainted with several spiritual doctors, and scores of their patients who had unbounded faith in the treatment, and were delighted with results obtained.

Some of these cures were truly wonderful, and the faithful believers were very positive that their recovery was due to the efforts of a departed spirit, usually an Indian guide who gave advice through the spiritual doctor, who, of course, was a medium. Patients believed it was so, because the doctor told them it was so, and at the present day this is sufficient to satisfy a large percent of humanity. No amount of reasoning would convince an ardent adherent to spiritualism that there was a bare possibility of the cure being produced by some other means aside from the aid of the departed Indian guide.

A person who has studied the laws of suggestion and made scores of practical demonstrations, can easily comprehend how thousands of people who are susceptible to any positive affirmation, can easily be carried away by the persuasive appeals of a leader of strong personality. It is an old saying that has been repeated for ages, that "Faith is blind," and my investigations, which cover a period of nearly forty years, convince me that much truth is contained in this proverb.

When people obtain results which are absolutely satisfactory, and in many cases even marvelous, they would very naturally be perfectly satisfied with any plausible explanation concerning the true and absolute cause of what brought about the cure and produced such a complete transformation in such a short period.

Not many years ago hundreds of what we would call practical, sensible people, were wearing iron rings on their fingers for the cure of rheumatism. The perspiration caused a rust which discolored the skin and led the patient to believe that this discoloration was due to the peculiar quality of metal which drew the uric acid from the system, thereby relieving the rheumatic pains. This was not a bad way of applying suggestion and good results were being obtained until some meddlesome scientific chemist made a careful analysis of the substance which accumulated on the inside of the ring, and on the finger, and reported that no trace of uric acid could be found, and that the whole thing was a sham.

While the method of cure was at least misleading, was it absolutely a sham? Patrons were getting a course of suggestive therapeutics and excellent results at a small cost. But after the exposure was made, the confidence of the people was destroyed, which ended the popularity of the metal ring. This illustrates that truth does not play the important part in healing. The suggestion must be powerful enough to stimulate and establish absolute faith, then results will follow, providing the ailment is functional and not organic, and the temperament susceptible.

Every physician, and in fact every intelligent person, knows that optimism is a powerful factor in sickness or in health; at the same time every sane person must acknowledge that the human organization is susceptible to many contagious diseases that would result in wide-spread death and desolation if stringent means of prevention were ignored. It is true that many nervous diseases will readily yield to any form of faith cure, which in reality is suggestive therapeutics, while on the other hand it is true that many organic troubles cannot be relieved by any treatment. To illustrate this fact I will give a statement of two cases which came under my personal observation and which at the time of their occurrence caused much comment by the press and the public in general.

Two very highly esteemed young ladies, w T ho were strong adherents of the Catholic faith, were for years afflicted in such a manner that neither could walk. For a long period both took treatment from the same physician without securing beneficial results. After medical treatment had failed, it was decided to resort to the "power of prayer." A time was appointed for the two invalids to be taken to the church. The priest and the congregation joined in earnest prayer for the speedy restoration of the two invalid members. To the great delight and astonishment of all participants, one of the afflicted patients arose and walked, while the other, who had as great if not greater faith was not benefited. The lady who was not benefited had read and heard much regarding the wonderful cures that were being reported from Lourdes, France, and was determined to make the pilgrimage, notwithstanding her priest discouraged the attempt, as he without doubt knew that when a person possessed all the faith possible in prayer as a curative agent, just as good results could be secured in one country as in another.

However, everything was made ready for the pilgrimage, and the young lady with her sister, her father and the priest, made the journey safely, and at the appointed time the great and final test was made without any relief or benefit in the least. The disappointment was so great that all hope was lost, and the poor lady returned to her home broken in health and spirits, went into a decline, and passed away in a few months.

This, to my mind, demonstrates beyond any doubt, that the efficacy of all forms of faith cure, absolutely depends upon the nature of the ailment.

The lady who was cured was suffering from hypochondria, and required a very powerful nerve stimulant to arouse her from the lethargy into which she had fallen.

The lady who was not cured was suffering from an organic trouble, which neither mind or medicine could alleviate. In this connection I will state that Lourdes stands preeminent as headquarters for Catholic Faith Cure. Here is located the Grotto Massaville, where, it is believed by the Catholics, that the Virgin Mary revealed herself to a peasant girl in 1858, at which time a living spring spontaneously belched from the earth an abundant supply of water, and it has for years been observed by the Catholics as sacred. Here, in 1876, a large church was consecrated by thirty-five cardinals and many high ecclesiastical dignitaries. Millions of people have made pilgrimages to this shrine for worship and for cure. It is conceded by all in the faith, that if the afflicted are not benefited here, that it is of little use to try elsewhere. This has a very depressing effect upon those who are not benefited, as they lose that faith which had previously been a most prominent factor in aiding them to endure their affliction, and hope that possibly an ultimate restoration was in store for them.

While living in France I made an effort to gain what knowledge I could concerning the absolute results, and percentage of cures at Lourdes, and ascertained that the percentage of cures were so small that the French government had serious thoughts of putting a stop to these pilgrimages, as scores of people are made miserable despondents the remainder of their lives, and in many cases death is the result of the great disappointment.

It is bad policy in any faith cure, to set a certain day for a great transformation to take place, for if the desired results are not obtained, faith in the patient is lost and serious results are sure to follow.

It often occurs that people take mental treatment weeks, months, and even years before a very marked change is observed. A physician informed me a short time since, that he had just taken a patient who had been taking mental treatments constantly for four years without perceptible benefit.

A person who would stick to any ism for four years without being benefited must have the genuine "Simon pure" faith, she had been told every week for four years that nothing ailed her, but for all that she claimed she did not feel right.

To continue my attempt to show that there is absolutely nothing new in any of these modern cults I give in this connection an illustration of what I witnessed in the great St. Peter's church in Rome, where thousands of pilgrims come from all parts of the globe for the purpose of obtaining spiritual and physical aid by kissing the toe of St. Peter's statue. To the mass of tourists who are not followers of the Catholic faith, and to all who have never made a study of psychology or suggestive therapeutics, this performance looks like pure nonsense, and you will hear such remarks as, "How silly," "What are they trying to do," "What a m> W

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KISSING SAINT PETER'S TOE

Introduction ly

foolish belief to think kissing the toe of a statue would benefit a person."

To myself this was a great and valuable lesson, and a most interesting and convincing experience, which demonstrated the power of suggestion.

The wonderful change that came over the faces of these people the moment they kissed the Pope's toe, demonstrated to me the fact that the great majority of humanity are susceptible to suggestion. Many of these people without doubt had been looking forward for years to a time when they could enter the great Sanctuary of St. Peter in Rome, and enjoy the divine blessings they would surely receive by kissing the toe of St. Peter. These benefits had been suggested to them for years, consequently they were to a marked degree being governed by the law of suggestion, they thoroughly believed they would be thrilled with a marked degree of enjoyment, and in most cases you could easily see that their faces beamed with delight and satisfaction.

Occasionally you would see some one who had not obtained perfect satisfaction, break into the ranks and get a second kiss, then pass out with a radiant countenance, and satisfied expression. I have every confidence in the reports that are made by these people concerning the wonderful benefits, both mental and physical, that they receive.

This is but one of the many similar places where mental healing has been resorted to for ages. In other churches in Rome, you can see scores of canes and crutches that were left by cripples who were healed by faith. I could enumerate dozens of such places that have been in operation for centuries, but will not do so in this connection as I started out to speak of only what had come under my personal observation.

While living in Los Angeles, California, I had an excellent opportunity to study different cults and cures. If they are not all represented in Los Angeles, I cannot imagine what ism has not found its way there. Years ago I attended some of the experience meetings in Chicago, when Alexander Dowie was in his prime, and I thought at the time, when I heard the many testimonials given by people who had been "Snatched from the grave" by their leader, that quite miraculous things were being done in Chicago, but after attending a few of the meetings of the different cults in Los Angeles, I discovered that neither Dowie nor Chicago was in it for a minute. In Los Angeles it does not matter whether they are talking about faith cure, or the climate, their claims are not retarded by extreme modesty. If it rains in the day time it is very unusual, for the rain in previous years had always fallen at night and had always been of a peculiar quality that would neither wet your clothes or make the streets muddy.

While it is very natural that the subject in the experience meetings of any of the different cults would make out a pretty strong case in favor of their cult, we must acknowledge a large degree of sincerity in the reports of all members of different denominations of faith cure.

Each cult will claim that their particular sect is entirely different from all others and give a superabundance of proof from different parts of the scripture to substantiate their claim, and to prove that they are the only people who can interpret the Bible correctly and who are the Lord's chosen flock and all the rest of the world is in error. Notwithstanding the fact that each sect claims to be the only one that is on the right track, the testimonials in their experience meetings all have the same ring and all report equally marvelous cures through faith. It matters not how inconsistent the claims may be, if they are promulgated in the name of Religion there is sure to be plenty of followers.

In Michigan there is a sect which is known as the

Lost Tribe of Israel, who claim that if they live a life which is absolutely free from sin that they will never die.

I have often visited their place, which is very beautiful; they have fine buildings, hundreds of acres of land, with beautiful shade trees, groves, flowers, etc. The visitor would at once be impressed with the surroundings, and exclaim to himself: I have found a magnificent illustration of intelligence and refinement. You might converse for hours with these people without detecting anything abnormal in their mentality until the subject of religion was approached. Here is where reason withdraws and dogmatic faith asserts itself. They are in a semi-hypnotic condition, which has been produced by a suggestion and affirmation, forcibly repeated until the organs of Reverence and Ideality have surrendered to a stronger power, consequently it is useless to endeavor to reason on certain subjects with these people, for they no longer have control of these special faculties, while all the other organs of the brain may be absolutely normal. I know this to be a fact, for I have, in experimenting with different subjects, demonstrated that a powerful suggestion made to certain people concerning certain things, would make such a positive impression upon their minds that all the reasoning that the wisest people on earth could bring to bear, would be fruitless. These people look upon sickness as being sinful, and upon death as an abominable disgrace. They will never look upon the face of a brother or sister who has submitted to death, as they claim that death is a lack of faith and right living with God.

One day an old gentleman about 80 years of age, was showing me some of their landscape gardening and remarked what a beautiful place they would have in a few hundred years. I remarked that there might be a bare possibility that we would not be here two or three hundred years from now. His answer was this : "We who have learned the true way do not count time, a hundred years is no more to us than a hundred days and I faithfully believe that I will be here to admire these surroundings a thousand years from now." Here was a case of Faith versus Reason. The average intelligent reader would at once remark that this man was simply insane; notwithstanding this fact let us compare his ideas with a few extracts taken from "Science and Health," page 224, it says: "Man in Science is neither young nor old. He has neither birth nor death. He is not a beast, a vegetable, nor a migratory mind." "If man were dust in his earliest stage of existence, we might admit the hypothesis that he returns eventually to his primitive condition, but man was never more nor less than man," page 245. "The error of thinking that we are growing old, and the benefits of destroying that illusion are illustrated in a sketch from the history of an English woman. Years had not made her old, because she had taken no cognizance of passing time nor thought of herself growing old. She could not age while believing herself young, for the mental state governed the physical." "Decrepitude is not according to law, nor is it a necessity of nature, but an illusion."

Now these illustrations imply precisely the same visionary ideas. No man or woman has ever been able to concoct any scheme that would defeat "Father Time ;" he comes around every year with precise regularity and marks us up with that indelible crayon which no ism, or cult has ever been able to escape or blot out.

Notwithstanding the illusions and delusions which have been woven into these cults with a marked degree of dexterity, the fact still remains that beneficial results have been obtained, and that thousands of people of a certain temperament have been aided to overcome sickness and disease, and prolong life. But when it comes to defying death and old age they weaken their cause by not being able to demonstrate their claims. I have given these illustrations to prove that the two great factors that produce results in all mental healing, are suggestion and faith, and credulous people who have never investigated the laws of suggestion or studied the general principles of psychology, nor heard of the many different cults and cures, are very easily made to believe that their leader has a most wonderful gift and Divine power direct from the Creator.

COMPARISONS IN CHRISTIAN SCIENCE.

As I have previously stated, I will aim to give the reader sufficient matter from books of two authors of Christian Science, to enable him to judge which is the most Christian, and the most scientific reasoning. It is rather peculiar that both should select the same title when promulgating ideas so divergent.

Beginning with page 27 is a reproduction of the important part of Christian Science by William Adams, published in 1850. Following the writings of Mr. Adams, I will give numerous extracts from Science and Health, by Mrs. Eddy, published in 1875. The remainder of the book will be devoted to what I consider the most practical methods of preserving health and curing disease.

In order to stimulate the reader to be "keen" in his comparisons by careful reading, I will herewith present a few opinions of each author concerning the subject of the "Human Body." Mr. Adams says, "Reverence the Body," it is a great moral principle and precept, a dictate which nature herself utters with no faint voice, and which revelation explains and elucidates. "God made man in His own image." "The Body is manifestly a material organization — a living organization, too, in the midst of forces." "Pleasure and Pain then, are for the good and evil of the body." "We admit, then, that man is body, and we say more, we say man is matter and subject to the law of matter, and man is spirit and subject to its laws." "Pleasure and Pain then, are for the Good and Evil of the Body." "Now, with reference to this subject, let us consider a little. Here we will say is a child — its eyes are delighted, naturally, with anything bright, clear, sparkling — it has never had experience — a lamp is brought close at hand to it — it puts its hand directly into the flame, and instantly the emotion of pain is caused in a very great degree, and the hand is withdrawn. Now observe, had there been no pain, the hand would have remained there, and have been destroyed/ * "Again, we look at the Body ; we find that it has Sensibility, the power of being affected by external things; that is, of feeling from them a sense of pleasure and of pain; that this is strictly and scientifically the sense that preserves the body from disorganization."

The following extracts are taken from "Science and Health," written by Mrs. Eddy :

"We call the body material; but it is as truly mortal mind, according to its degree, as is the material brain."

"Matter, which can neither suffer nor enjo)', has no partnership with pain and pleasure, but mortal belief has such a partnership."

"Mortal mind does the false talking, and that which affirms weariness, made that weariness."

"You do not say a wheel is fatigued; and yet the body is as material as the wheel. If it were not for what the human mind says of the body, the body, like the inanimate wheel would never be weary."

"Destroy this illusion for matter cannot be weary."

"The less mind there is manifested in matter the better. When the unthinking lobster loses its claw, the claw grows again. If the science of life were understood, it would be found that the senses of mind are never lost and that matter has no sensation. Then the human limb would be replaced as readily as the lobster's claw."

"Any hypothesis which supposes life to be in matter is an educated belief."

"Nerves have no more sensation, apart from what belief bestows upon them, than the fibers of a plant."

"Nerves are an element of the belief that there is sensation in matter, whereas matter is devoid of sensation."

"Man is not matter; he is not made up of brain, blood, bones and other material elements."

"Man is incapable of sin, sickness and death."

"Natural science, as it is commonly called, is not really natural nor scientific, because it is deduced from the evidence of the material senses."

Note. — I have given sufficient illustrations to convince the reader that this work on Comparative Christian Science will be intensely interesting.

The work of William Adams published in 1850 on Christian Science demonstrates the real meaning of the title. A reproduction of Mr. Adams' work begins on the next page.

By WILLIAMS ADAMS Published in 1850

THE ELEMENTS OF

A TREATISE UPON

MORAL PHILOSOPHY AND PRACTICE

By William Adams, S. T. P.,

PBESBYTEB OF THE PBOTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH, IK THE DIOCESE OF "WISCONSIN

"All things are double one against another, and God hath made nothing imperfect." — Jesus, Son of Strach.

"Man's perfection is not by himself, nor by any thing in or of himself, but by that which is to him external."

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1850, by

WILLIAM ADAMS

In the Office of the Clerk of the District Court of the United States, in and for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

PREFACE.

Naturalists tell us that the oak has a northern circle, beyond which it does not grow. It has also a limit that is set for it towards the south. Thus it has a region, marked out by definite limits, upon the surface of the earth, within which it grows, and out of which it cannot live. In the language of natural science, this is called its Habitat. Within that habitat it lives, varied in vigor and appearance according to circumstances. The same tree, in sheltered valleys, shoots up a taller and more slender stem than the oak that braves the storm upon the mountainside. The timber also of that oak, that has grown slowly in the clefts of the rock, has a roughness and a knotty strength that is never found in that which has started up rapidly from rich and cultivated soils. All these differences, and a thousand more, may be produced, and exist in oaks that have come from acorns of the same parenttree.

To explain this, we know that all of these trees had, each of them, a constitution, a germ of vegetable life peculiar to the oak, suited to take up supplies from external things, and to grow thereby, because it is a life.

To use the example again, — wherever the tree grows, in the North or the South, in the valley or upon the mountains, from the clefted rock or in the fertile plains, — there amidst all variety of circumstance, the constitution is the same, — if the tree is anywhere capable of living, it is as an oak that it lives, and not as any other tree. Postion modifies, but never wholly destroys or wholly changes the nature.