Article May 8, 1926 Issue

The Lectures

Introductions to Lectures

with contributions from Bliss Knapp, Julia M. Johnston

Boston, Massachusetts (The Mother Church).—Lecturer: Richard J. Davis; introduced by Bliss Knapp, who said:—

There is an ever increasing number of people eagerly reaching out for Christian Science because of the good it is doing. Perhaps some of you here this evening have been wondering why so many people are readily healed. The reason is simple enough—so simple, in fact, that many overlook it. A story may help to explain the point: A group of men and women were once traveling in the mountains. The way was difficult, for they had to scale some very steep places. At one point in their path they had to let themselves down at arms' length from a ledge of rock, and then drop a few feet into some soft earth. All of the party, including the ladies, had successfully taken the drop, except one man. He had let himself down at arms' length, but he was afraid to let go. The others assured him that there was no possibility of danger; but he was so fearful that he could not let go. So there he clung, unable to get up or down, until his arms ached and he groaned in anguish. Finally, from sheer exhaustion, the man collapsed and dropped unharmed into the soft earth.

Many of our good friends, like this man, are self-imposed sufferers, because they are afraid to let go of something. They lack two essential qualities of thought that make for success—faith and obedience. Had this man been willing to trust his companions and obey their loving counsel, he would have advanced himself, and not have hindered the others. Thus faith and obedience are essential to success in daily living; they are essential to progress in discovery and invention; they are essential to the understanding and practice of Christian Science. May these two qualities of thought help you here this evening to receive the truths which the lecturer will present to you.

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