Article October 17, 1942 Issue

Preparing for a Christian Science Lecture

JEANETTE F. SUTTON

"Ho , every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." This hearty and rousing invitation voiced by Isaiah might be said to express the appeal of a Christian Science lecture. Our lectures are designed to bring to the hearers inspiration and a better understanding of spiritual verities, thus interesting and benefiting those persons who have higherto been unacquainted with the teachings of Christian Science, as well as those who are already its students.

The function of the Christian Science lecture is to state the facts concerning the teachings of Christian Science and its Discoverer and Founder, and to dissipate the misconceptions or false beliefs of those who listen. Through Christian Science treatment, the erroneous traits held in a patient's thought are destroyed in order to bring about the healing. In much the same way, right preparation for a Christian Science lecture will deny power and reality to erroneous suggestions in order that they may not interfere with the healing results which rightfully flow forth on this inspiring occasion. Indifference, nonreceptivity, prejudice, antagonism, and malice are forms of animal magnetism, and Mrs. Eddy states in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 103), "As named in Christian Science, animal magnetism or hypnotism is the specific term for error, or mortal mind."

In order to render null and void the efforts of animal magnetism to stultify good, it is necessary to realize clearly and definitely the nothingness and powerlessness of evil, and to dwell understandingly on the omnipotence and omnipresence of divine Truth and Love. Our Leader writes (ibid., pp. 287, 288): "Truth cannot be contaminated by error. The statement that Truth is real necessarily includes the correlated statement, that error, Truth's unlikeness, is unreal." When protective metaphysical work is well done, the success and effectiveness of the lecture will be assured.