The large and growing body of thoughtful men and women who belong to what is popularly known as the New Thought movement cannot fail to be deeply interested in the recent public announcement by ex-Judge Joseph Russell Clarkson, of Omaha, Nebraska, embodying the reasons that compelled him to resign from a commanding and responsible position in the Christian Science movement, and also to withdraw from fellowship in that church. Judge Clarkson has long enjoyed the high esteem of his fellow-citizens, both as a jurist and as an honorable member of society. After he accepted the tenets of Christian Science he became a prominent and influential member of the lecture board of that church, and still, though he has withdrawn from the organization, he believes in the truth of what he considers the "best" in "Science and Health." He further holds that "the Christian Scientists are as a body closer to God" than any of the churches that make up conventional Christianity, and that "Christian Science as given through Mrs. Eddy's book is the most wonderful exposition of truth that came during the nineteenth century."

The opinions of such a man are entitled to far more consideration than the criticisms of those who have never viewed the faith save through prejudiced eyes and who are ignorant of its teachings, or at best have but limited acquaintance with its

tenets. The author, as a trained lawyer and experienced jurist, and as a man of wide reading, has been schooled to weigh evidence and consider subjects in an impartial manner. In the preface of his recent brochure, "The A B C of Scientific Christianity," we find given somewhat at length and in a simple and candid manner the reasons that led him to sever his connection with the Christian Science lecture board and with the church of which he was so prominent a representative. As one of the most popular lecturers among the authorized representatives of the Christian Science movement, he necessarily came into very close contact with its practical operations and demonstrations in various centers. The varying and unsatisfactory results that followed the treatment greatly disquieted him. He felt that there must be something radically wrong in the presentation of what he believed to be a luminous restatement of primitive Christianity. The further he investigated the more the unpleasant conviction was forced upon his mind that the results fell far below what they should be. He states that in his extended trips over the country he "found in every place substantially the same unhappy conditions apparent-worse, though, in Boston than in many other cities." In order to satisfy himself as to where the trouble lay, he began a patient and conscientious investigation. Coming to Boston, he "listened carefully to full instructions from the Metaphysical College." He next had “long personal interviews with Mrs. Eddy and leading representative Christian Scientists." The result of all this was that he became convinced "that human distortions, perversions, misconceptions, and misapplications of the teachings of 'Science and Health' have led both Mrs. Eddy and her following into a pursuance of methods in business, teaching, and practise which have a tendency steadily to lower the high standard of spirituality originally set, and if much longer continued will bring about a condition of spiritual paralysis in the Science ranks."

Judge Clarkson points out in detail what to him are some of the fatal mistakes which are paralyzing the good that might be

wrought by adhering strictly to what he conceives to be the pure and unadulterated teachings and practise of Jesus and his immediate followers; and, though it is impossible to give a full citation of these, I quote as extensively as possible, in order to give the reader some idea of his point of view and the reasons that forced him to withdraw from the church:

"The teaching is about evenly divided between exquisite holiness and mental evil, the instruction in mental evil being a straight departure from the teachings of 'Science and Health.' The result is a 'house divided against itself.' Utterly futile will be any attempt to progress to the Christ healing so long as evil is manufactured at the rate that it is in the Metaphysical College, and consequently in the field.

"I refer, as any one who has been in the class will know, to the diagnosis, dissection, revivification, classification, upbuilding, and supposed final demolition of evil mentality, comprehended under the general terms of animal magnetism, hypnotism, mesmerism, and mental malpractice, and in this connection quote from 'Science and Health,' pages 280 and 281:

"Animal magnetism has no Scientific principle; for God governs all that is real, harmonious, and eternal, and His power is neither animal nor human. Its basis being a belief, and this belief an error, in Science---animal magnetism, hypnotism, or mesmerism is a mere negation, possessing neither intelligence, power, nor reality.'

"Science and Health,' page 235: 'Love and its manifestation are all in all. There is naught else; nothing else is. Divine Love is infinite; therefore, all that really exists is divine Love.'

""First Corinthians, chapter 13: 'Charity [in revised version, "love"] thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;'— and ask whether such teaching as I have indicated is not a reversal of what the book inculcates. It is in the teachings of Mrs. Eddy and her followers, subsequent to the publication of the book, that I see a steady departure from the truth, and a necessary retrogression in the path which leads to the ultimate goal-Divine Love. I believe that the character of the teaching is the result of conjecturing causes for the failures to heal, and the mistake has been made of imputing to outside sources a mental malevolence which really exists in the Christian Science ranks, and which exists in the Science ranks as a foregone consequence of a determination to see it in others, to fear it, and to devise schemes whereby it may be disarmed and annihilated.

"To Mrs. Eddy and her following-speaking, of course, of the general conditions, there being thousands of exceptions-applies what Job recognized in his own case: "The thing which I greatly feared is come upon me.' (Job iii., 25.) She and they are judged as they judge. They are a self-deceived, self-hypnotized, self-mesmerized people, and are to be pitied from one's heart. I ask of Christian Scientists, who are not so far gone

but that they may still hear and see, whether they truly believe that the Christian Science methods and practise have, when the general result thus far is considered, been prolific of the fruits of the Spirit, which are these: 'Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.' (Gal. v., 22.) I contrast with these the fruits of the flesh: 'Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies' (Gal. v. 20), and ask, of those who are so situated as to know the general conditions, which kind of fruits are to the front. If it be admitted that the latter class seem to have the advantage, or even to hold their own, I ask whether we have not for a sufficient length of time experimented with building up a constantly strengthening and expanding and terrorizing evil as the cause of our failure to do God's work and to come into His peace; and whether the hour has not come for us to obey the injunctions of Jesus, as given in his Sermon on the Mount, and to know and insist upon as a positive, affirmative, all-denying fact that what 'Science and Health' says on page 139 is true: 'Truth, Life, and Love are a law of annihilation to everything unlike themselves, because they declare nothing except God.' And whether we ought not by this time to realize that our methods have become too distinctively human, when we consider what 'Science and Health' says on page 364, 'If the Scientist reaches his patient through Divine Love he will accomplish the healing work at one visit,' and on page 409, ‘If mental practise is used for any purpose but healing, morally and physically, its power will diminish until the practitioner's healing ability is wholly lost,' and 'To let Spirit, through the power of divine Love, bear witness, without argument, to the healing Truth, is the more excellent way.'

"In defending 'Science and Health,' Mrs. Eddy, in the January, 1901, Journal, page 597, says: 'It was not myself, but the divine power of Truth and Love, infinitely above me, which dictated "Science and Health, with Key to the Scriptures." I have been learning the higher meaning of this book since writing it.' Then, I ask, was not Mrs. Eddy a mere scribe and should the book ever have been changed, by hér or any one else, from its form as originally written; and, logically, ought we not to prefer the best thought of the book to what she or any one else may say or do in derogation of the book's highest teaching, and ought not the first edition to be reprinted and become, itself, our guide?

"I deprecate any corruption of the best to be found in 'Science and Health.' I stand on the best in the book, but not on the book, its author, or revisers, because I believe Mrs. Eddy is mistaken if she thinks 'Science and Health' was dictated by the divine power of 'Truth and Love.'

"The book is illustrative of Mrs. Eddy's researches and experiences in religious, mystical, medical, philosophical, and scientific fields. It embodies both good and evil. Its diction and subject matter have been improved by revision, but the improvement has been largely the work of a writer other than Mrs. Eddy.

"I believe that a large part of the instruction relating to mental practise

as outlined in 'Science and Health' is either purely harmful and hence to be rejected, or is so susceptible to abuse as to call for non-observance from fear of the harm which such instruction followed may exert. If the practitioner is 'not perfectly attuned to Divine Science' and needs 'the arguments of Truth for reminders,' he is not equal to the Spirit's proper work, according to 'Science and Health.' If the practitioner does not 'accomplish the healing work in one visit,' then he does not reach 'his patient through Divine Love,' according to 'Science and Health.' Continued treating, if the book is to be believed, means that more or less of the practitioner's human mentality is discoloring the treatments. What this mentality may be neither patient nor practitioner can know. That it is likely to be harmful to the one upon whom it is injected, dozens of passages in the book indicate.

"A man standing in broad daylight needs not even to affirm light. For him to deny darkness were foolish. I do not believe that all the current printed truth relating to metaphysics, mental healing, and the Science of Being is to be found in Mrs. Eddy's books and in the Christian Science publications, nor do I believe that all of truth is to be found in any or all publications. Books, writings of any kind, even though it be conceded they are inspirational, are always more or less tinctured with the human medium. Fragments of truth come to every one. Truth speaks from every blade of grass, from every atom of the universe. Every personality, every event, has its tale to tell. Everything that is has its appointed place, its appointed task, its allotment of truth to reveal. Free expression of one's own -free expression of one's self-is due to Truth; the hearers, the readers, the students must handle the wheat and the chaff, must learn how properly to separate the two, must 'Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.'

"I have had much benefit, as it seems to me, from Drummond's 'Natural Law in the Spiritual World' and his various addresses; Emerson's 'Essays' and other writings; Sheldon's 'In His Steps'; Hudson's 'Psychic Phenomena'; Hubbard's 'Philistine' and 'Little Journeys'; MIND and many kindred publications; and numerous sermons. I have had more help from the Bible than from all other books and writings combined; and I believe I have had more help from hours of day and night given to meditation upon, and prayer to, an infinite spiritual God of all power, all presence, all wisdom, all tenderness, protection, mercy, and justice, and from flashes of truth coming from him, than I have had from all writings and persons that have come within my view. . .

"I believe that religious opinions which may be fairly comprehended in the general term 'New Thought' are in advance of the beliefs generally entertained in the Christian Science ranks, because I believe I recognize in the 'New Thought' a tolerance of others' views, a humanity, and a reasonableness which the distinctive Christian Science methods have not developed, and which all organization has a tendency to stifle; and yet I recognize in the 'New Thought' and in most of the other systems of mental