Article April 24, 1948 Issue

PREPARING FOR A LECTURE

ETHEL M. MC CANDLESS

The inspirational meetings which a branch church holds before a Christian Science lecture is given, are very helpful in alerting members to the necessity for vigorous and consecrated thinking in regard to the coming event. At one such meeting the members were asked by the chairman of the lecture committee to ponder prayerfully the purpose of the lecture as a Christian missionary, as a herald of Christian healing, and as a Christly peacemaker. The members were also asked to give prayerful thought to their individual part in the preparatory work.

As the writer considered these thought-inspiring topics, these familiar words of the prophet came to her spontaneously and repeatedly (Isa. 52:7): "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!" In this exquisite passage the poet-prophet pictures a messenger jubilantly proclaiming the good news of salvation for his people and the establishment of God's kingdom. This surely is the mission of a Christian Science lecture.

As individual members of a Church of Christ, Scientist, we all have our part to play in this healing activity. Having invited a bearer of good tidings to our church, do we complacently shift the responsibility to the church board and the lecture committee? Hear the prophet's inspiring and enlightening words (Isa. 52:8), "Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion." The prophet portrays the watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem as being the first to see the herald of good news and to join their voices with the prophet's, rejoicing in God's work of restoring Israel. On the joyful occasion of a Christian Science lecture each member of the church is a watchman who has a special work to do.

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