Article December 19, 1914 Issue

The Lectures

with contributions from D. L. McBride, Hector MacDonald, Ernst Best, Haworth-Booth, Edwin N. Day, Nellie Bell Brigham, J. George Dietrich

It was an intent, interested hearing, by a good-sized audience, accorded William R. Rathvon in the Temple Theater when he delivered his lecture on Christian Science. The Rev. D. L. McBride of the Baptist church introduced the speaker as follows :—

It is with pleasure that I comply with the request to do this service of introducing the speaker upon this occasion. I engage in it, not as a Christian Scientist, but as one interested in all propaganda that tends to promote and enlarge intelligence. I hold the man or woman to be pitied indeed, to whose educational attainments the word Finis has been writ ten. Life in both volume and quality depends more largely upon knowledge than upon any other condition. Eternity would be a drear and desolate Sahara, were it void of the perennial springs of an ever-enlarging knowledge.

Another consideration makes this service a pleasant one; namely, my personal sympathy with any movement the aim of which is to ameliorate the woes of humanity, to displace its sorrow with joy, its despair with hope, its bitterness with sweetness, and its weakness with strength. That the method used by others in this pursuit may not be mine, altogether, is only to point a divergence that prevails otherwheres, where vital issues are at stake. We are all agreed as to results, though we may disagree as to ways and means. But even here we should foster sincere and sympathetic consideration for the methods of those who differ from us, for it is possible that their way, after all, may be better than ours. We should at least consider this possible, and hence grant to all opposite teachings a respectful hearing.

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