Christian Scientists Won A Victory

Editor Argus:- Chiristian Scientists throughout the country who have been following the attempt to legislate against Christian Science in New Hampshire are quietly jubilant over the victory won by them in that legislature, when a large vote defeated the introduction of a bill "to prohibit practise oí Chistian Science." 

This great victory was won, it is said, by Mrs. Eddy’s friends who are not Scientists. No legal counsel was engaged to manage the case. None of Mrs. Eddy's friends visited the hall of legislation, but her friends outside of the church, it is claimed, gladly enlisted in her behalf. 

The bill was designed to prohibit the healing of physical alimenta by Christian Scientists, and to impose a penalty of $50 for the first offense, $100 for the second, and if the party further violated the law, he or she should be remanded to jail. 

By the action of the house the bill was referred to the judiciary committee, and yesterday, by a vote of 11 to 1, the committee refused to report the measure. 

Mrs. Mary Baker G. Eddy has her home in Concord, N. H., and the Patriot of that city pays her the compliment of good citizenship in every respect, doing everything possible for the interests and upbuilding of the city, and contributing liberally of her time and money to its needs. This paper feels free to say "that in its views it represents the intelligence and integrity of Concord when it commends the legislature for refusing to recognize such unjust and discriminating a bill. The people who believe with Mrs. Eddy are not proselytizing; they are not urging others to accept the things that they believe and use; their mission is clearly to do what good they can for their fellow men; they are all good citizens, peace-loving and law abiding. 

“The Patriot is not advocating the cause nor proclaiming the virtues of Chiristian Science, any more than of any other religion. It bespeaks for all at the hands of our lawmakers, liberal and just treatment; the constitution of the United States and the institution of every state of the Union recognizes the right of the individual to worship God after the dictates of his heart and conscience, and any effort on the part of religious bigots to interfere with this clearly defined right is palpably wrong, wrong in theory, wrong in fact, and wrong in law." 

The Patriot adds: "If the believers in the Roman Catholic church were being discriminated against, or a proposition looking to discrimination were proposed In the legislature, we would say, ‘Don't do it.' If such a bill were directed against Congregationalist, Methodists, Baptists, Unitarians, Adventists, Wesleyans, or Episeopallans, we would say, ‘Don't do it,' and when the members of the legislature should refuse to recognize such arbitrary measures, we with thousands would say, as we now say, 'Thank you'."