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The ministerial correspondents whose names are attached...
Whitehall (Mich.) Forum
The ministerial correspondents whose names are attached to the letter in the issue of December 12 should rejoice that there are Christians in your city who are sufficiently sincere in the practice of their religion to hold a service in their home on the Sabbath, even though the church edifices were closed on account of fear of an alleged epidemic. That the holding of such a service is entirely within the legal rights of those in whose home it took place, no sincere and unprejudiced citizen can doubt for a moment.
Christian Scientists yield to no one in their obedience to law. They believe, however, that no law in this free land is constitutional which seeks to prevent the worship of God according to the dictates of one's own conscience, provided that such worship does not infringe the rights of others to the latter's injury. When such an attempt is directed toward preventing a religious service in a private home, as in this instance, it savors of a medical and ecclesiastical domination which is on a par with the autocracy of the political and military despotism which for over four years vainly sought to bring the world under its rule.
While it may have no bearing upon the legal aspects of the present case, inasmuch as home services were not included in the ban in question, the incident at Los Angeles, California, might be cited, where attempts were made to close the churches in much the same manner as in your city. To test the closing order five members of a church organization allowed themselves to be arrested for attempting to hold religious services. A day or two before the matter was to be finally disposed of, the judge having the case under advisement indicated in a newspaper interview that he would hold the closing order invalid. On the day set for the hearing, the judge was prevented from holding court, but the authorities promptly rescinded the closing order. The intimation evidently was sufficient.
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June 21, 1919 issue
View Issue-
The Mystery of Godliness
FRANCES MACK MANN
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Remembering Our Work
CASSIUS M. LOOMIS
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Resistance to Error
MARIE CHISWELL HOUGH
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"The Book of Life"
EMMA A. STANGLAND
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A Glimpse of Truth
ROY C. MC CLAY
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The Little Foxes
SAMUEL JOHNSTONE MACDONALD
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In his recent letter a correspondent hopes that he is correct...
Katherine English
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The ministerial correspondents whose names are attached...
Robert G. Steel
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High Resolve
William P. McKenzie
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Lifting up the Christ
Ella W. Hoag
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The Lectures
with contributions from Archibald W. Edes, F. P. Lloyd, Julius L. Beer, John E. Playter, J. McKay, Leon G. Miles, Howard Lovewell Cheney, Hugh L. Clark, Giles M. Smith, George Collins, F. W. Duesbury, Mary A. Scott, Jean Ramsey, Harry I. Hunt, William G. Baker
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I first heard of Christian Science through the healing of...
Colin Rucher Eddison
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For fourteen years I had suffered from headache, also...
Alice D. Houren with contributions from William Houren
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Until I learned something of Christian Science nearly...
Jennie Rankin
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For the many blessings received through the study of...
Mabel Radley Reece
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About twenty-one years ago I was very sick in bed for...
Lottie J. Sparks
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Nearly ten years have elapsed since my healing through...
Willard B. Mills
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I feel it my duty, in gratitude for the many blessings...
Esther L. Van Dien
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When I first turned to Christian Science I was wonderfully...
Sarah Alice Leachman
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Before I knew anything of Christian Science, happiness...
Mabel A. White
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Christian Science came into my life about fourteen years...
Annie B. Martin
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Signs of the Times
with contributions from John Clifford, F. B. Meyer, David H. Fouse