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A visit among the churches
Originally published in the April 15, 1891 issue of the Christian Science Series (Vol. 2, No. 24)
It was my privilege to accompany the pastor of a church of Christ (Scientist) to Troy and to Albany N. Y., at which places, under the auspices of the Churches there organized, the Pastor delivered a lecture, and also spent a short time with the students of Christian Science.
At Troy the attitude toward Christian Science, both in the city and with the press, is one of respectful inquiry. The members of the local Church are doing splendid work in spreading the glorious “Gospel of Peace.” This Church has a regular speaker, and bright and spacious reading rooms open daily to the public. At the lecture given, the audience numbered about three hundred. The deep and respectful attention given to every word of Truth uttered was very noticeable. The papers reported the lectures at length, and with but slight inaccuracy.
At Albany the Church has a regular speaker, and its members are all devoted workers for the establishment of “Christ’s Kingdom” on earth. All are “In His Name” sowing the seed which, when rooted, will emancipate mortals from the serfdom of sin, sickness, passion, appetite, fear, and death. The services, held in a parlor, are soon to be removed to a hall, owing to the demand for a more central, and larger room. The attendance at the lecture here was nearly five hundred persons. The attention shown to every utterance was most marked, and the fruits of the seed sown in thought are already visible.
At Albany we were joined by the students from Amsterdam. There is a marked change in the attitude of the people at Amsterdam toward Christian Science. A Church is about to be organized. Regular services are now held, and the practical demonstrations, which have occurred from time to time, have led the people to see that Christian Science is demonstrable, therefore is sure to substantiate its resisted claims, in practical works of healing and of reformation.
Opposition, in many directions, has changed first to tolerance, then to investigation.
Leaving the Scientists at Albany, I journeyed on with Mr. S——. a Scientist, to visit our brothers and sisters at Montreal Can. There we found a Church with a regular speaker who is supported by a devoted band of earnest workers.
Notwithstanding that the workers here have much error to contend with, both in the material and sectarian forms of worship largely prevalent, and in the work of uprooting the tares of error, and sowing the seed of Truth in its purity, the banner of Christian Science, on which freedom from sin, sickness and death is inscribed, is being held lovingly and courageously aloft in the midst of the city whose need of Christ’s pure teaching is made very great, on account of the prevailing systems of ritualistic and ceremonial worship. The demonstrations of healing have changed public opinion very perceptibly, and Christian Science is being recognized in its reality, namely: as Christianity, and not merely an advanced method of healing disease. The meetings and two lectures given while at Montreal were well attended, and all appeared deeply interested in the theology of this grand Science.
By the bond of love that was everywhere evident; by the support and loyalty shown by the students to their leaders; by the humility, and absence of personality, everywhere manifest; by the appreciation shown of the Bible Lessons; the Journal and other publications and work of the Publishing Society; by the practical demonstrations of Truth in healing, and in reformatory work, and by the great joy manifested on receiving the revised Science and Health , I am convinced that each student has lovingly and deeply heeded our Teacher’s advice at the last National Association, to “work out, individually and alone, for himself and for others, the sublime ends of human life.”
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1891 - PAMPHLET
Christian Science Series, Vol. 2, No. 24
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