Anniversary Celebration at Fitzgerald, Ga.

The Christian Scientists of this city had a very enjoyable service Sunday (November 18), it being the celebration of the fourth anniversary of the organization of the local branch of the Mother Church.

The regular sermon compiled from the Bible and "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," was read as usual. In addition to this, three suitable anthems, which were greatly enjoyed, were rendered by the choir, and short addresses were delivered by the First and Second Readers, reviewing to some extent the work of the past four years, showing a yearly increase in interest and number of those who believe in the teachings of Christian Science. The Bible was referred to as the standard and guide of Christian Scientists, showing that the healing of sin and disease requires the same process, though the former is of the greater importance.

The interior of the church was profusely decorated with a great variety of roses and other flowers, interspersed with evergreens, giving it a most beautiful and harmonious appearance.

The services were a pronounced success, and many in response to a request rose in testimony of having been healed by Christian Science.—The Citizen-Leader.

The address of John H. Williams, First Reader, was as follows:—

Friends:—I gladly welcome you here to-day to join us in this service celebrating in a quiet way the fourth anniversary of the organization of our church. It seems wise and helpful to assemble here and together take a retrospective view of the past four years and a perspective view of the work for the future. The work thus far done and the ends reached may not seem to deserve special consideration, but upon a thorough understanding of the situation to us, as Christian Scientists, it means much for the present and for the future. It is the laying the foundation, upon which the superstructure of Truth may be built and beneath whose shade and shelter many soul-sick and weary ones may find rest. As Christian Scientists it is not our aim to make a display or an exhibition of the workings of our Cause, but it is our desire to make known to those around us the great beauty and reality of the religion of the humble Nazarene.

We have great cause for rejoicing and we celebrate the day which gave permanent shape to the operation of Christian Science in our midst. Reduced to a scientific Principle and practice, the religion of Christ means a reality of peace on earth and good-will to men, here and now. Not merely in the dim and distant future but to-day God may be revealed to us as a living, palpitating reality, destroying forever agnosticism and infidelity.

Many earnest seekers for Truth repeat the Prophet's ancient question: "Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?" And is not this ancient rebuke renewedly administered: "Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt; in vain shalt thou use many medicines; for thou shalt not be cured." Also, "The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them." It is the mission of Christian Science to answer this question in the affirmative, and to respond to these just rebukes with a system scientific, Scriptural, practical, and demonstrable. There is a balm in Gilead for every aching heart and every troubled breast. The Great Shepherd has said, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

There is a physician who healed the diseased and sinsick ages ago, and who said, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do."

Many people misapprehend the teachings of Christian Science, and it seems well to correct some of the misconceptions held by those who have not taken the time or trouble to give the subject a careful investigation.

Christian Science in no way departs from the teachings of the Bible, but aims to emphasize its ethics and essential points. Our first church tenet reads: "As adherents of Truth, we take the Scriptures for our guide to eternal Life" (Science and Health, p. 493). Most Christians admit that sin brought disease, disaster, and death into the world, and when all sin is destroyed, disease and even the last enemy, death, must cease.

Luke, 13:15, records Jesus as saying: "And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?" It is the mission of Christian Science to loose the bonds of sin and disease and set the captives free, for "ye shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free." I see no reason, save a lack of knowledge, why it should seem strange that religion means salvation from disease as well as sin. Christ's salvation means a full salvation in this world as well as in the world to come. We are thoroughly convinced by experience and demonstration that God forgiveth all our iniquities and healeth all our diseases.

We celebrate the day which marks an important epoch in our religious experience, and turn our faces towards the celestial city with hearts full of gratitude for the great good that has come to us. Most of us have been raised from the couch of pain to health; from the depths of despair to hope and happiness, through the teachings of Christian Science.

We rejoice to see this day when God has again visited His people with apostolic blessings. We rejoice that this light has come to us making our lives brighter and more hopeful. The shadows disappear and the clouds roll back revealing God's love and God's eternal presence. Hope rises higher, courage takes on new strength, and faith reaches greater heights.

We rejoice that God has raised up one in this age whose great spiritual insight has made the healing of disease, like the healing of sin, a possibility through the teachings of Christ. The Rev. Mary Baker Eddy, Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, has for more than thirty years devoted her life in selfless love to the uplifting of the human race, bringing peace and rest to earth's weary wanderers. Thousands of Christian Scientists, as the result of this labor, are ready to bear grateful testimony to the truth of her teachings, and there is scarcely a village or hamlet in all this broad land of ours where Christian Science is not known and appreciated.

The mission of Christian Science is most beneficent. Its aim and effect is to elevate the race, destroy sin, heal disease, relieve suffering, and prove in this age that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has lost none of its healing efficacy. For Paul says: Jesus Christ is "the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever."

God is Omnipresent, the All-presence; Omnipotent, the All-power, and the aim of Christian Science is to lead mortals to a more thorough understanding of His presence and power; to lead them to a deeper faith in God's mercy and goodness; to give them a more spiritual understanding of the Bible, and show them that Science and Christianity are inseparable. Christian Science establishes a deeper sense of God's protecting power and presence, reveals the Father-Motherhood of God and the brotherhood of man, destroys malice, envy, and hate, thus bringing on earth the kingdom of heaven. Love for God and man enables its possessor rightly to apprehend God and man's relation to Him. This destroys the love of sin, disease and its fear, and robs the grave of its victory. It cannot be truly said that this is a new doctrine, for it is as old as the ancient of days, and is for all men to understand and practise.

As Christian Scientists we are glad to assemble ourselves here in celebration of this day. We are glad that we have passed at least a few mile posts on our journey heavenward, and on this the fourth anniversary of our organization as a branch of the Mother vine, we wish to renew our resolves for better living, to reconsecrate our lives to God, and to drink anew in His kingdom the royal wine of Heaven. We realize more fully than ever the great work to be done, and the necessity of rightly employing every moment. Many are the blessings that have come to us through the teachings of Christian Science, and for that reason we greatly desire that others may know its truths and receive its blessings. To this end it is our prayer and purpose to show all who earnestly seek the Truth that the Gospel of Christ means a full salvation from all evil to which the flesh is heir. This the gospel accomplished nineteen centuries ago, and Christian Science has proven to us beyond the shadow of a doubt that in this gospel there is no "variableness, neither shadow of turning."

God's laws are changeless and eternal. His love is forever the same, and sooner or later Christian Science will prove to the world that "the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

Already the God-inspired hear the distant thunderings of Mount Sinai and rejoice. Divine Love overshadows the spiritually-minded, calling them higher and higher up the mount of revelation. As we enter upon the threshold of a new century the dawn of a brighter day breaks upon our vision. In this dawn of a new day we can say in the words of our Leader,—

Old theories and beliefs are giving way to higher ideals, and soon their imprint will be washed from the shifting sands of time by the resistless waves of God's love, when "the earth shall be of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." The eternal currents of God's love will break asunder all unholy ties, mortality swallowed of immortality, making stronger the bonds of goodness, drawing community closer to community, nation closer to nation, and church closer to church, till there shall be one people and one God.