Selected Letters of Gandhi : Part-1

YERAVDA MANDIR


Chapter-46: Christian Science

I have met many Christian Science friends. Some of these have sent me Mrs. Eddy’s work. I was never able to read them through. I did however glance through them. They did not produced the impression the friends who sent them to me had excepted. I have learnt from childhood, and experience has confirmed the soundness of the teaching, that spiritual gifts should not be used for the purpose of healing bodily ailments. I do however believe in abstention from use of drugs and the like. But this is purely on physical, hygienic grounds. I do also believe in utter reliance upon God, but then not in the hope of that He will heal me, but in order to submit entirely to his will, and to share the fate of millions who, even they wished to, can have so scientific medical help. I am sorry to say however that I am not always able to carry out my belief into practice. It is my constant my endeavour to do so. But I find it very difficult, being in the midst of temptation, to enforce my belief in full.