Page:The Origin of Christian Science.djvu/163

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Anthropology.
155

and the appointee shall go immediately in obedience to the call. ‘He that loveth Father or mother more than me is not worthy of me’.”[1]

Notice in the above sentences these points: Mrs. Eddy claims a distinct mission for herself that is comparable with that of Jesus of Nazareth; she suggests that Jesus' expression of divinity was limited by the age in which he lived; she claims to teach the complete truth concerning the trinity which she affirms was not fully revealed by Jesus and the Apostles in the Scriptures, that is, her revelation as to the trinity is superior to Christ's. She demands manual and menial service for herself that Jesus never demanded for himself, but on the contrary rendered to others; and she does this, assuming the same spiritual authority over souls that Jesus claimed for himself.

As a Christian who regards Jesus Christ as the Holy One of God and all men and women as poor sinners, whose hope is in his infinite superiority over them, that is in his divinity, I am tempted to rise up in righteous indignation and call Mrs. Eddy's claims blasphemy. But as an expounder of Christian Science and as one who appreciates Mrs. Eddy's mental gymnastics and speaks as representing her, I prefer to say: “Hold you indignant Christian! There is no place in the real and true man for passion. Such turbulent feelings arise from ignorance, as all imperfections do. It is not blasphemy at all. It is