Editorial January 15, 1910 Issue

THE LECTURES

Archibald McLellan

We have been asked by one of the members of the board of lectureship to remind the Field that the requests made by this board in its annual circular, which was mailed last summer to the clerks of all the churches and societies advertised in The Christian Science Journal, are based upon the experience of its members, and that strict attention to these requests will greatly simplify the work of the lecturers and save much needless correspondence.

The circular referred to was prepared with much care, and the intention was that it should be kept on file by the clerks of churches and societies, so that there might be an orderly procedure both in the securing of the services of a lecturer and in the making of all arrangements in connection with the delivery of the lecture. It would seem, however, according to the statements made by this representative of the board, that the requests courteously preferred in the circular have either been forgotten or ignored in quite a number of instances; notably in the extension of hospitality to the lecturers, and in regard to the musical part of the program.

Much as the lecturers would like to meet all the Christian Scientists, and to accept the hospitality which is so courteously and generously tendered them, it is manifestly impossible for them to do so. As a matter of fact, the greatest kindness that can be shown a lecturer is to see that he is comfortably cared for in a good hotel, where he will have ample and uninterrupted time for study and whatever other preparation he may need for his work. As to the custom of providing music for the entertainment of the audience, preliminary to the lecture, the members of the board seem to be unanimous in their desire that this should not be done. It is, of course, unobjectionable that a simple organ voluntary should be played during the assembling of the audience, if the lecture is to be delivered in a church, but an elaborate or pretentious musical program is to be avoided. In the opinion of the board, an audience which has been induced to attend the lecture because of their expectation and desire for this kind of an entertainment, is not well prepared for the serious consideration of so important a subject as a lecture on Christian Science.

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