## "Christian Science" (falsely so-called).

W. Kelly.

(B.T. Vol. N2, p. 237-238.)

Such is the name of a new substitute for the Personal Christ the Son of God and His redemption. It is of American growth, but not limited to the U. S., Brazil, and Canada; for it has already sent forth suckers into England and Scotland, France and Germany. This is the language in which the Rev. Geo. Tomkins, D.D. (formerly a Baptist minister), speaks of its rise:- "THE REVELATION OF CHRISTIAN SCIENCE [the emphasis is his own] came to Rev. Mary Baker G. Eddy in the year 1866 and its truth and power were immediately demonstrated by signs following." . . . "It is the perfect salvation from sin and sorrow, disease and death, which Christ Jesus came to bring. Christian Science, in a word, is the law of 'God-Good' Principle, Being, Life, Truth, Love, and Eternal Harmony — put into practice here and now.

This however, and almost all else, is but tall talk and empty vapour. Coming closer, is not Christ only "Impersonal" Truth? "Once we thought that each mortal had a soul of his own, and that this soul could be divided from spirit; but in the light of Christian Science we know that there is but one soul, one Spirit, and that God; and that this two-edged sword, Truth, separates all the beliefs of mortal mind from the thoughts of divine mind." . . . It "boldly declares there is no personality, neither personal good, personal evil, nor personal men!" Such is the use made of 2 Cor. 5:16. This awful delusion openly denies not only the Father and the Son, but also the devil and a man as persons. It is thus more daringly opposed to all truth than Judaism or even Paganism, and leaves no room for that association of the believer with God the Father, through the Lord Jesus the Son, which we know as Christians. It is one of the many antichrists against which the Epistles of John so solemnly warn us as to be in the last time.

Take another and distinct proof of its blasphemy. "This Christ-Truth is His second coming, which is mentioned and referred to in the Bible over three hundred times." . . . "Now He has come — IMPERSONALLY!" "We consciously [? confidently] declare that 'Science and Health, with key to the Scriptures' was foretold as well as its author [Dr. T.'s italics], Mary Baker Eddy in Revelation 10. She is the 'mighty angel,' or God's highest thought to this age (verse 1) giving us the spiritual interpretation of the Bible in the 'little book open' (verse 2)." Naturally and necessarily therefore Mrs. Eddy's little book supersedes the Bible, as Swedenborg's volumes do for the N. J. church, and Joe Smith and Pratt's impostures for the Mormonites ; yet they all pretend to accept the Scriptures!!! Alas! it is as hollow and guilty, as when a feast was proclaimed to Jehovah; but in reality Israel worshipped a molten image, having changed their glory for an ox that eateth grass.

Another of these effusions has been sent and lies before me. It is by the Rev. W. P. MacKenzie of Boston. It too is mere naturalism with the usual perversion of scripture to give a gloss of truth. "Its postulate (says be), rather should one say its axiom, is this; that by PROVING THE UNREALITY OF SIN, DISEASE AND DEATH, YOU DEMONSTRATE THE ALLNESS OF GOOD." This is really to set aside the O. and N. Testaments, to lose the profit of repentance and the blessing of faith. Torture is done to Wiclif's version of Luke 1:77; for though he does say "science of helthe," the remission of sins which qualifies the phrase, in the original and in his translation as well as of all others, proves that the remark is baseless as well as wicked, and a mere play on words to mislead the unwary. The salvation "of souls" is there meant, as 1 Peter 1:9 says. Body-salvation is a truth which the new heterodoxy rejects; it awaits Christ's second coming, which they also deny in any true sense, as indeed the faith as a whole. But inasmuch as this debasing folly is so thoroughly infidel as to deny that each man has a soul, it is needless to speak to them of soul-salvation. If there is but "one soul, one spirit," and that "God," if there is no personality, good or evil, there is no need, or room, for a Saviour. It is really a hideous dream of Pantheism, if not yielding to faith, assuredly to wake up for the second death, which is the lake of fire.

___________

(B.T. Vol. N2, p. 237-238.)

BAPTISM clearly signifies death; and it is not the baptising but the coming out of the water which can be applied to resurrection [as in Col. 2:12]. The giving of life is in no way the sense of baptism even as a figure, but leaving the life of Adam by death (the death of Christ), and entrance through that gate into a wholly new place and position.

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