Article September 7, 1912 Issue

THE LECTURES

with contributions from W. S. Metz, John Read, Llewellyn C. Morley, I. J. Woodworth, A. O. Freel, Arthur M. Willis

Virgil O. Strickler lectured on Christian Science at Moose hall to an audience of three hundred people. It was the first Christian Science lecture ever heard in this part of the country and some of those present came over two hundred miles to hear it. The Hon. W. S. Metz, state senator of Wyoming, introduced Mr. Strickler, and said:—

The pearl of great price for which humanity has been striving so earnestly during all the centuries of the past, is to know and to understand God aright. Jesus the Christ said, "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." Jesus knew and understood God correctly. He said, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." If God is Spirit, then His creation must be a spiritual creation and man must be a spiritual being and therefore perfect. Jesus talked with God as intimately as I talk with you. You will remember that, when he stood at the grave of Lazarus, who had been dead for several days, he said, "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always." Then he spoke to Lazarus and said, "Lazarus, come forth," and Lazarus arose from the tomb with his grave-clothes wrapped about him. Then Jesus said to those who stood by, "Loose him, and let him go," and he went his way rejoicing. Jesus knew that life was not confined to the body, but that it was spiritual; and that man reflects the infinite and eternal Life. It was, therefore, through an understanding of the spiritual law of Life that he caused Lazarus to rise from the dead. He knew that Life is eternal.

In this day and age there are very few thoughtful men who do not admit that the innumerable stars and planets are controlled and guided in their intricate system of operations by some infinite intelligence, and that this intelligence is entirely independent of mankind. When I look away yonder through the largest telescope and see the farthest star, and see it traveling in its uniform course, in the midst of other stars and planets and in the midst of other systems of worlds, under perfect control and in perfect systematic operation and in safety and security, I know that an intelligence guides and controls and guards it away yonder in its place in infinite space, and I know that this same intelligence is here, with me and everywhere present, to guide, control, and protect. To me there are two striking truths in Christianity,—that God is Spirit, and that He is everywhere present; and eventually, I think, before these great truths "every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear."

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