Article May 18, 1912 Issue

THE LECTURES

with contributions from A. K. Cook, H. H. Hurley, Burnett F. Bliss, H. C. Ellis, C. D. Macpherson

A lecture on Christian Science was delivered Feb. 12 at the Auditorium by Virgil O. Strickler. He was introduced by Judge A. K. Cook, who said:—

There was a time, and that not long ago, when each of the old religious denominations claimed a monopoly of all knowledge as to God's plans and purposes toward the human race, and as to the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth; and when he who dared to advance any views that were antagonistic to the time-honored beliefs and traditions of these denominations was promptly denounced as a blasphemer, or something worse. But that time has passed away. Religious bigotry and intolerance are no longer the blight and curse of our land. Very few of these older religious denominations are as sure of their ground as they once were. Many of them now concede, impliedly if not expressly, that there is a possibility at least of their having overlooked or misunderstood some of the vital truths of divine revelation. The spirit of intolerance has been supplanted by the spirit of investigation. We are seeking more light. We realize that the last word may not yet have been spoken. We are not only willing but anxious to hear what more can be said in answer to that momentous question propounded more than eighteen centuries ago to the meek and lowly Nazarene, "What is truth?"

While I am not a member of the Christian Science church, I have devoted some study to its doctrines and have been deeply impressed thereby; impressed, above all else, by the fact that the religion for which Mrs. Eddy contends is a religion whose chief corner-stone is not fear, but love, and love only. A religion founded on fear, in whole or in part, has ever been and ever will be productive of fanaticism on the one hand and agnosticism on the other. Some of the best minds in every age have rebelled against all religions promulgating the gospel of fear, all religions that picture the creator of the universe as a God of anger and wrath, as a God possessed of human attributes,—of passions and prejudices such as we invariably condemn when manifested by an earthly judge or ruler.

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