christian science-第4章

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She　was　not　a　religious　woman；　and　pretended　to　no　occult　powers。　　She
said　that　the　patient's　faith　in　her　did　the　work。　　Several　times　I　saw
her　make　immediate　cures　of　severe　toothaches。　　My　mother　was　the
patient。　　In　Austria　there　is　a　peasant　who　drives　a　great　trade　in　this
sort　of　industry；　and　has　both　the　high　and　the　low　for　patients。　　He
gets　into　prison　every　now　and　then　for　practising　without　a　diploma；　but
his　business　is　as　brisk　as　ever　when　he　gets　out；　for　his　work　is
unquestionably　successful　and　keeps　his　reputation　high。　　In　Bavaria
there　is　a　man　who　performed　so　many　great　cures　that　he　had　to　retire
from　his　profession　of　stage…carpentering　in　order　to　meet　the　demand　of
his　constantly　increasing　body　of　customers。　　He　goes　on　from　year　to
year　doing　his　miracles；　and　has　become　very　rich。　　He　pretends　to　no
religious　helps；　no　supernatural　aids；　but　thinks　there　is　something　in
his　make…up　which　inspires　the　confidence　of　his　patients；　and　that　it　is
this　confidence　which　does　the　work；　and　not　some　mysterious　power
issuing　from　himself。

Within　the　last　quarter　of　a　century；　in　America；　several　sects　of　curers
have　appeared　under　various　names　and　have　done　notable　things　in　the　way
of　healing　ailments　without　the　use　of　medicines。　　There　are　the　Mind
Cure　the　Faith　Cure；　the　Prayer　Cure；　the　Mental　Science　Cure；　and　the
Christian…Science　Cure；　and　apparently　they　all　do　their　miracles　with
the　same　old；　powerful　instrumentthe　patient's　imagination。　　Differing
names；　but　no　difference　in　the　process。　　But　they　do　not　give　that
instrument　the　credit；　each　sect　claims　that　its　way　differs　from　the
ways　of　the　others。

They　all　achieve　some　cures；　there　is　no　question　about　it；　and　the　Faith
Cure　and　the　Prayer　Cure　probably　do　no　harm　when　they　do　no　good；　since
they　do　not　forbid　the　patient　to　help　out　the　cure　with　medicines　if　he
wants　to；　but　the　others　bar　medicines；　and　claim　ability　to　cure　every
conceivable　human　ailment　through　the　application　of　their　mental　forces
alone。　　There　would　seem　to　be　an　element　of　danger　here。　　It　has　the
look　of　claiming　too　much；　I　think。　　Public　confidence　would　probably　be
increased　if　less　were　claimed。

The　Christian　Scientist　was　not　able　to　cure　my　stomach…ache　and　my　cold；
but　the　horse…doctor　did　it。　　This　convinces　me　that　Christian　Science
claims　too　much。　　In　my　opinion　it　ought　to　let　diseases　alone　and
confine　itself　to　surgery。　　There　it　would　have　everything　its　own　way。

The　horse…doctor　charged　me　thirty　kreutzers；　and　I　paid　him；　in　fact；　I
doubled　it　and　gave　him　a　shilling。　　Mrs。　Fuller　brought　in　an　itemized
bill　for　a　crate　of　broken　bones　mended　in　two　hundred　and　thirty…four
placesone　dollar　per　fracture。

〃Nothing　exists　but　Mind？〃

〃Nothing；〃　she　answered。　　〃All　else　is　substanceless；　all　else　is
imaginary。〃

I　gave　her　an　imaginary　check；　and　now　she　is　suing　me　for　substantial
dollars。　　It　looks　inconsistent。




CHAPTER　V

Let　us　consider　that　we　are　all　partially　insane。　　It　will　explain　us　to
each　other；　it　will　unriddle　many　riddles；　it　will　make　clear　and　simple
many　things　which　are　involved　in　haunting　and　harassing　difficulties　and
obscurities　now。

Those　of　us　who　are　not　in　the　asylum；　and　not　demonstrably　due　there；
are　nevertheless；　no　doubt；　insane　in　one　or　two　particulars。　　I　think　we
must　admit　this；　but　I　think　that　we　are　otherwise　healthy…minded。　　I
think　that　when　we　all　see　one　thing　alike；　it　is　evidence　that；　as
regards　that　one　thing；　our　minds　are　perfectly　sound。　　Now　there　are
really　several　things　which　we　do　all　see　alike；　things　which　we　all
accept；　and　about　which　we　do　not　dispute。　　For　instance；　we　who　are
outside　of　the　asylum　all　agree　that　water　seeks　its　level；　that　the　sun
gives　light　and　heat；　that　fire　consumes；　that　fog　is　damp；　that　six
times　six　are　thirty…six；　that　two　from　ten　leaves　eight；　that　eight　and
seven　are　fifteen。　　These　are；　perhaps；　the　only　things　we　are　agreed
about；　but；　although　they　are　so　few；　they　are　of　inestimable　value；
because　they　make　an　infallible　standard　of　sanity。　　Whosoever　accepts
them　him　we　know　to　be　substantially　sane；　sufficiently　sane；　in　the
working　essentials；　sane。　　Whoever　disputes　a　single　one　of　them　him　we
know　to　be　wholly　insane；　and　qualified　for　the　asylum。

Very　well；　the　man　who　disputes　none　of　them　we　concede　to　be　entitled　to
go　at　large。　　But　that　is　concession　enough。　　We　cannot　go　any　further
than　that；　for　we　know　that　in　all　matters　of　mere　opinion　that　same　man
is　insanejust　as　insane　as　we　are；　just　as　insane　as　Shakespeare　was。
We　know　exactly　where　to　put　our　finger　upon　his　insanity：　it　is　where
his　opinion　differs　from　ours。

That　is　a　simple　rule；　and　easy　to　remember。　　When　I；　a　thoughtful　and
unblessed　Presbyterian；　examine　the　Koran；　I　know　that　beyond　any
question　every　Mohammedan　is　insane；　not　in　all　things；　but　in　religious
matters。　　When　a　thoughtful　and　unblessed　Mohammedan　examines　the
Westminster　Catechism；　he　knows　that　beyond　any　question　I　am　spiritually
insane。　　I　cannot　prove　to　him　that　he　is　insane；　because　you　never　can
prove　anything　to　a　lunaticfor　that　is　a　part　of　his　insanity　and　the
evidence　of　it。　　He　cannot　prove　to　me　that　I　am　insane；　for　my　mind　has
the　same　defect　that　afflicts　his。　　All　Democrats　are　insane；　but　not　one
of　them　knows　it；　none　but　the　Republicans　and　Mugwumps　know　it。　　All　the
Republicans　are　insane；　but　only　the　Democrats　and　Mugwumps　can　perceive
it。　　The　rule　is　perfect：　in　all　matters　of　opinion　our　adversaries　are
insane。　　When　I　look　around　me；　I　am　often　troubled　to　see　how　many
people　are　mad。　　To　mention　only　a　few：

The　Atheist；　The　Theosophists；　The　Infidel；　The　Swedenborgians；　The
Agnostic；　The　Shakers；　The　Baptist；　The　Millerites；　The　Methodist；　The
Mormons；　The　Christian　Scientist；　The　Laurence　Oliphant　Harrisites；　The
Catholic；　and　the　115　Christian　sects；　the　Presbyterian　excepted；　The
Grand　Lama's　people；　The　Monarchists；　The　Imperialists；　The　72　Mohammedan
sects；　The　Democrats；　The　Republicans　（but　not　the　Mugwumps）；　The
Buddhist；　The　Blavatsky…Buddhist；　The　Mind…Curists；　The　Faith…Curists；
The　Nationalist；　The　Mental　Scientists；　The　Confucian；　The　Spiritualist；
The　Allopaths；　The　2000　East　Indian　sects；　The　Homeopaths；　The
Electropaths；　The　Peculiar　People；　The

But　there's　no　end　to　the　list；　there　are　millions　of　them！　　And　all
insane；　each　in　his　own　way；　insane　as　to　his　pet　fad　or　opinion；　but
otherwise　sane　and　rational。　　This　should　move　us　to　be　charitable
towards　one　another's　lunacies。　　I　recognize　that　in　his　special　belief
the　Christian　Scientist　is　insane；　because　he　does　not　believe　as　I　do；
but　I　hail　him　as　my　mate　and　fellow；　because　I　am　as　insane　as　he　insane
from　his　point　of　view；　and　his　point　of　view　is　as　authoritative　as　mine
and　worth　as　much。　　That　is　to　say；　worth　a　brass　farthing。　　Upon　a　great
religious　or　political　question；　the　opinion　of　the　dullest　head　in　the
world　is　worth　the　same　as　the　opinion　of　the　brightest　head　in　the
worlda　brass　farthing。　　How　do　we　arrive　at　this？　　It　is　simple。　　The
affirmative　opinion　of　a　stupid　man　is　neutralized　by　the　negative
opinion　of　his　stupid　neighbor　no　decision　is　reached；　the　affirmative
opinion　of　the　intellectual　giant　Gladstone　is　neutralized　by　the
negative　opinion　of　the　intellectual　giant　Newmanno　decision　is
reached。　　Opinions　that　prove　nothing　are；　of　course；　without　value　any
but　a　dead　person　knows　that　much。　　This　obliges　us　to　admit　the　truth　of
the　unpalatable　proposition　just　mentioned　above　that；　in　disputed
matters　political　and　religious；　one　man's　opinion　is　worth　no　more　than
his　peer's；　and　hence　it　followers　that　no　man's　opinion　possesses　any
real　value。　　It　is　a　humbling　thought；　but　there　is　no　way　to　get　around
it：　all　opinions　upon　these　great　subjects　are　brass…farthing　opinions。

It　is　a　mere　plain；　simple　factas　clear　and　as　certain　as　that　eight
and　seven　make　fifteen。　　And　by　it　we　recognize　that　we　are　all　insane；
as　concerns　those　matters。　　If　we　were　sane；　we　should　all　see　a
political　or　religious　doctrine　alike；　there　would　be　no　dispute：　it
would　be　a　case　of　eight　and　sevenjust　as　it　is　in　heaven；　where　all
are　sane　and　none　insane。　　There　there　is　but　one　religion；　one　belief；
the　harmony　is　perfect；　there　is　never　a　discordant　note。

Under　protection　of　these　preliminaries；　I　suppose　I　may　now　repeat
without　offence　that　the　Christian　Scientist　is　insane。　　I　mean　him　no
discourtesy；　and　I　am　not　chargingnor　even　imaginingthat　he　is
insaner　than　the　rest　of　the　human　race。　　I　think　he　is　more
picturesquely　insane　than　some　of　us。　　At　the　same　time；　I　am　quite　sure
that　in　one　important　and　splendid　particular　he　is　much　saner　than　is
the　vast　bulk　of　the　race。

Why　is　he　insane？　　I　told　you　before：　it　is　because　his　opinions　are　not
ours。　　I　know　of　no　other　reason；　and　I　do　not　need　any　other；　it　is　the
only　way　we　have　of　discovering　insanity　when　it　is　not　violent。　　It　is
merely　the　picturesqueness　of　his　insanity　that　makes　it　more　interesting
than　my　kind　or　yours。　　For　instance；　consider　his　〃little　book〃；　the
〃little　book〃　exposed　in　the　sky　eighteen　centuries　ago　by　the　flaming
angel　of　the　Apocalypse；　and　handed　down　in　our　day　to　Mrs。　Mary　Baker　G。
Eddy；　of　New　Hampshire；　and　translated　by　her；　word　for　word；　into
English　（with　help　of　a　polisher）；　and　now　published　and　distributed　in
hundreds　of　editions　by　her　at　a　clear　profit　per　volume；　above　cost；　of
seven　hundred　per　cent。！a　profit　which　distinctly　belongs　to　the　angel
of　the　Apocalypse；　and　let　him　collect　it　if　he　can；　a　〃little　book〃
which　the　C。S。　　very　frequently　calls　by　just　that　name；　and　always
enclosed　in　quotation…marks　to　keep　its　high　origin　exultantly　in　mind；　a
〃little　book〃　which　〃explains〃　and　reconstructs　and　new…paints　and
decorates　the　Bible；　and　puts　a　mansard　roof　on　it　and　a　lightning…rod
and　all　the　other　modern　improvements；　a　〃little　book〃　which　for　the
present　affects　to　travel　in　yoke　with　the　Bible　and　be　friendly　to　it；
and　within　half　a　century　will　hitch　the　Bible　in　the　rear　and
thenceforth　travel　tandem；　itself　in　the　lead；　in　the　coming　great　march
of　Christian　Scientism　through　the　Protestant　dominions　of　the　planet。




CHAPTER　VI

〃Hungry　ones　throng　to　hear　the　Bible　read　in　connection　with　the　text…
book　of　Christian　Science；　Science　and　Health；　with　Key　to　the
Scriptures；　by　Mary　Baker　G。　　Eddy。　　These　are　our　only　preachers。　　They
are　the　word　of　God。　　〃Christian　Science　Journal〃；　October；　1898。

Is　that　picturesque？　　A　lady　has　told　me　that　in　a　chapel　of　the　Mosque
in　Boston　there　is　a　picture　or　image　of　Mrs。　Eddy；　and　that　before　it
burns　a　never…extinguished　light。　　Is　that　picturesque？　　How　long　do　you
think　it　will　be　before　the　Christian　Scientist　will　be　worshipping　that
picture　or　image　and　praying　to　it？　　How　long　do　you　think　it　will　be
before　it　is　claimed　that　Mrs。　Eddy　is　a　Redeemer；　a　Christ；　and　Christ's
equal？　　Already　her　army　of　disciples　speak　of　her　reverently　as　〃Our
Mother。〃

How　long　will　it　be　before　they　place　her　on　the　steps　of　the　Thro