CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS AND WAR.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18239, 25 November 1924, Page 10

CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS AND WAR.

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PJtESS. S ir ,--The report of the Magistrate's Court proceeding on the subject of military training might l«ad your readers to think that Christian Scientists claim exemption from military training on account of their religious teaching. . , Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer aiicl founder of Christian Science, in her book, "First Church of Christ, tist, and Miscellany," writes as * oi r lows:— : 1 For many years I ha\e piajeu daily that there be no more war, no more barbarous slaughtering or oui fellow beings; prayed that all the peoples on earth and the islands of the sea have one God, one Miud • love bod supremely and love their neighbour as themselves. ... It is unquestionable, however, that the armament of navies i# necessary for the purpose ot preventing war and preserving peace among nations." Again she says in the same work:—"But here let me say that I am absolutely find religiously opposed to war, whereas I do I'-elieve implicitly i n the full efficacy of Dmna Love to conciliate bv arbitration all quarrels between nations and peoples. In an article entitled "Peace and War" in Miscellany Mrs Eddy writes Whatever weighs in the eternal scale of equity and merer tins the beam on the right side, where ' the immortal words and deeds of men alone can settle all questions amicably and eatisr

factorily. But if our" nation s rights 1 or honour were seized, every citizen would, be a soldier nnd woman would be armed with power just for tho hour." To quote Mrs Eddy again: "When. Jesus wns questioned concerning obedience to human law, he replied: "RenCossar's even while you render unto Ctesar's, even while you render unto 'God the things that are God's.' " "I believe in obeying the laws of the land, I practise «.nd teach this obedience since justice is the moral signification of the law." It is only fair to state that many, if not most, students or Christian. Science go through the period of military training, and during the Great. War Christian Scientists did their part, along with others, to help their country. In the American army there were so many Christian Scientists that chaplains were .appointed to accompany, them to France, and to-day, in the British Army, are a great many students of Christian Science. —Yours etc., MARIAN" J. TURNER, Committee on Publication. Ohristchuroh, Nov. 24th.