Article December 14, 1907 Issue

THE LECTURES

with contributions from Robert H. Lovett, G. A. Kratzer, W. H. Woodhead, James H. Malone, Maxtone Graham, F. W. Triggs

Frank H. Leonard delivered a lecture on Christian Science in the Grand Opera House Nov. 4. He was introduced by Judge Robert H. Lovett, who said in part,—

Ever since humanity has existed, in a greater or less degree men have pinned their faith to the power of God. And when that faith was wavering, when mankind had become exceedingly material. Jesus came upon earth to demonstrate to the world the power of God over sin, sickness, and death; and by his wonderful proofs he roused the people from their material dream and pointed them to a knowledge of spiritual life. We have been taught to love the Bible, which tells us the story of his life and which records many beautiful promises to be realized by those who seek "first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness." And we read in the good book that David said, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." Those inspiring words of hope and faith, which have been the subject of song and of sermon, have been handed down through the centuries. A struggling humanity has devoutly uttered them, and clung to them under every adverse condition; and yet we know that as a rule those discordant conditions were not relieved, humanity's burdens have grown no smaller, man's wants have not been satisfied, and hope has been all but crushed.

Because of these conditions, because Christians were not able to prove the truthfulness of the sacred promises of the Bible, men began to cry out for a practical religion, one which could be applied to their every-day life; for one which would prove to the world that the promises of the Bible could be taken without any discount. To-day the people are asking for a religion which can demonstrate that David's words are true, not only in a mysterious hereafter, but in the living present. We have a gentleman with us to-night who is going to tell you about that kind of religion,—a religion which teaches us to take God at His word. He will not tell you about a God who visits every known ill upon His children here on earth, and who reserves for a period beyond the grave that happiness, that harmony, that surcease from sorrow for which mankind is praying; but he will tell you of an ever-present God, of a God of love; not a God of the dead, but a God of the living; of a God whose promises are to be realized, not only in the dim and distant future, but here and now; of a God who gives "his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways."

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