Article February 23, 1907 Issue

THE LECTURES

with contributions from Arthur Reeves Vosburgh, T. L. Cuyler, George E. Perley, M. M. Trumbaur

Judge William G. Ewing lectured on Christian Science at the Fargo Opera House Jan. 8. He was introduced by Hon. George E. Perley, who said:—

In these days of startling innovations, of rapid and wonderful progress in science, art, invention, and discovery, when thought is in a state of upheaval and transition, when old theories, beliefs, and creeds, accepted for centuries perhaps, are being examined and tested, perhaps disproved and thrown aside; when men are sometimes wildly asking what are the fundamentals of religious belief; there has flashed across the sky a seemingly strange and unheard-of doctrine, which asserts among other things, that our God is one who not only pardons our iniquities, but heals our diseases. There is nothing strange or new about this to any one who has studied the Bible at all, for it was freely asserted and practised by Jesus, and after him by his disciples; it was known and practised in the early Church, and the prophets and poets of the old dispensation evidently well understood it. But the power to heal the sick having departed, mankind has assumed for centuries that it was of a transitory nature only, given for a special purpose, to fix the attention of men on Jesus as the Messiah, and as a proof of his divine mission, and to bring his message to the world, though it was itself no part of that message. We shall have to give up, we are giving up, that theory as illogical, unreasonable, and plainly contrary to demonstrated facts, for the world is too full of undisputed evidence to the contrary. For my part, I regret most of all that this blessed truth could not have been given to the world through the Church universal, that it was found necessary to organize in a little corner of the earth the Christian Science Church to promulgate this glorious fact. What rancor and bitterness and ridicule and unkind words and thoughts might have been spared, if Christianity had only understood its heritage.

I speak to-night not as a Scientist, but rather as a member of an orthodox church; I speak as a believer in Truth and a friend of Truth, and I ask myself and you what should be my attitude and yours toward this new religion which has to a considerable degree turned the world upside down. That it is contrary to my previous habit of mind is not decisive, for I may be wrong. It is surely only sane and fair for me to apply two practical tests to this or any other doctrine seeking recognition. First, What kind of spirit do its devotees possess? Second, What are the results of the movement? I find here first, a body of men and women rather remarkably healthy and happy; many of them say they were great sufferers from physical disease and have been cured by divine Love, and so far as my knowledge and investigation go, I find they tell the truth; they look on the bright side of life, and they seem to make realization of the Divine immanence a part of their daily experience, even in very small matters. They talk about God, not irreverently, but still with an attitude of mind far removed from awe; their practical faith in His promises almost takes away my breath; they seem to possess in an unusual degree those Christian graces which St. Paul talks so much about,—meekness, gentleness, self-restraint, faith, hope, and love; not depreciating the joys of heaven to the soul after death, they still look for heaven here and now; they are good neighbors and friends, and make the world better for having lived in it.

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