Article November 2, 1912 Issue

THE LECTURES

with contributions from Frank A. Moscrip, C. E. Armin, Edward C. Mills, W. A. Flood, Hermann S. Hering, Clifford P. Smith, C. H. Knight, Fred A. Davis

William R. Rathvon at his lecture in this city, at the New Odeon theater, on Christian Science, was introduced by Frank A. Moscrip, associate editor of the Times-Republican, whose remarks were in part as follows:—

The kinship of worship exists between all religions. With a multitude of creeds there is but one Christ; among a million beliefs there is but one aim—the elevation, spiritual and material, of humanity. The essential of all worthy religions is the relationship between the spirit of God and the spirit of man. It follows as action upon thought, that the underlying strength of all effort which has made men better and the race greater is spiritual. No religion not essentially spiritual is or has been an uplifting and elementary force in the betterment of mankind, and every religion spiritual in its character may claim its share in the marvelous development of man from barbarism to a level little lower than that of the angels. A religion which has a belief in God is one thing; that which holds a mighty and abiding faith in Him is another and greater. As intellect rises over the gross and material, so faith lifts itself above intellect. Every one knows things which the lips cannot utter, has understanding which cannot be expressed, feels much as truth which a mortal can neither fully realize nor comprehend, for life walks ever on the edge of mystery and faith is a torch to its feet. The fashion of the torch is of little concern, so that it gives forth light whereby dim paths may be trodden without fear and map a way to safety. That is the matter of real moment.

Let us covet truth. It is the light of the world. To each his opportunity to proclaim, and to all the right of personal judgment. The most basic liberty is that to believe and to utter according to conscience. It is balanced by a liberty as wise and as holy to accept or reject according to conscience. The truest test of the right of a religion to live is its effect upon those who profess and practise its tenets. Any religion or cult or belief justifies its existence and corroborates its divinity when it makes men better men and women better women; when it is an antidote for the poisons of anger and envy and hatred and evil passions. That which counsels kindness and teaches dependence upon God and concern for His commandments, is a force to be welcomed in a world where bitterness prevails overmuch and the contention between good and evil is continual.

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