Article June 24, 1905 Issue

The Wednesday Evening Meeting

LLOYD B. COATE.

WHAT can we say at the Wednesday evening meeting that will be of the greatest benefit? This simple question is of the utmost importance. Oftentimes, in listening to remarks made at these meetings by professing Christian Scientists, it would almost seem that they had lost sight of the real object of the meeting. It is not a place for people to create laughter by amusing stories or witty statements; it is not a place to speak disrespectfully of other church teachings, or of materia medica. If reference be made thereto, such remarks should always breathe a kind spirit, showing due consideration toward all who have done the best they knew, according to their light. It is not a place for one or two persons to monopolize the time, for every one who has been benefited by Christian Science should have opportunity and be prepared to speak a word of truth; it is not a place to speak of demonstrations which, however beautiful they may have been to us, are likely to be offensive to non-Scientists. It is a place to tell of practical benefits received through Christian Science in physical healing,—our restoration from sickness to health; it is a place to speak of the great reformatory work wrought in all our lives through Truth; it is a place to tell of the new birth, the awakening to a more spiritual life; it is a place to tell of the greater trust established in God, of the new opening of the Scriptures and our great joy in reading the same as interpreted by our text-book.

Surely we need wisdom to know what to say and how to say it. In the larger churches there are strangers present for the first time at almost every service, those who come to hear of instances of healing. The meeting is not for our selfish interest; but rather for those who have come seeking the truth, who want to find a way of escape from sickness and from sin. Jesus said, "What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?" This is a sacred place, and let us seriously, prayerfully consider how we are going to feed and comfort the needy stranger within our gates who may be in bondage to some form of sin or suffering. Before Jesus commanded the sheep to be fed, he said, "Feed my lambs."

I have heard of people who went away from these meetings unfavorably impressed because some had talked of being healed of such and such a "claim." "According to belief," they would say, "I had liver trouble," or some other trouble; they talk too much at random and at length of "mortal mind." These terms are proper, with the accom panying explanation given in our text-book, and we would do well to let each individual find the right use of such words and phrases therein. In speaking of our healing, would it not be better to talk in a plain, simple way which the stranger can comprehend? When we speak of things not appropriate we are not feeding the lambs.

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