Article December 28, 1912 Issue

Perhaps you will allow one who is not a member of the...

Blackburn (England) Times

Perhaps you will allow one who is not a member of the Christian Science body, but who has occasionally attended their services in Blackburn, to give a brief account of his impressions and experiences. I had never met a Christian Scientist until the first evening I walked into their hall, which was formerly Blacklock's gymnasium, on the Preston New-road.

The air of restfulness and quietude which pervaded the room I found, I must say, very gratifying, and I was favorably impressed with the decorum of the service, as well as with the devout and reverent demeanor of the worshipers. But I believe what struck me most of all was the terms of friendship on which the members of the congregation seemed to be with one another. After the service was over they did not immediately rise en masse and rush out of the building, as I have seen done elsewhere, No; they exchanged greetings, and chatted together for quite a long time. I am aware, of course, that "all is not gold that glitters," and that professions of friendship cannot always be taken at their face value; but, however that may be, the members of the congregation seemed to be really on terms of cordial friendship with one another.

Several rose and gave testimony of the cures which had been effected in their own persons through the agency of Christian Science. Its gospel of the triumph of good over evil—indeed, I understand, it asserts there is no reality in evil—is certainly very cheering; and under the head of evil it includes sin, disease, and death. So closely are the mental and the physical interwoven in our human nature that, as is well known, the power of mind over the body is very great; and this power has the effect of intensifying or alleviating our sufferings. Some of our complaints have their origin in, and all of them are rendered worse by, our own gloomy and despondent feelings. But no Christian Scientist can be of such a disposition, so he would escape calamities to which others are liable. He has absolute faith in the power of Truth to triumph over sin, and over sickness, which is often the result of sin; therefore he looks to the future with hope.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

Christian Science is a demonstrable religion