The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-10-01

| A large congregation listened to Rev.
L. B. Ridgley's second lecture on
Christian Science last evening. Fol-
lowing is synopsis of the address:
| The theory was outlined in the lee
ture of last week. L have heard no
objections offered, and so assume the
loutline was correct. l propose
to examine certain flaws in the
system and then to discuss the truths
embodied.
First-The system makes certain as
sumptions that are inadmissible, and
others that are mistaken.
First-That sickness and death are
evils. How can that be proved? The
Scientist" argues:
All things ordained by God are good.
Pain is not good; therefore it does not
come from God. And therefore it is
not good.
This is reasoning in a circle" and
proves nothing. The logical argument
is this: All things that exist God Or
dams, and they are good. Pain ex-
lists; therefore, pain is God-ordained
and good. He who shuts his eyes to
pain fails in SO far to understand God.
He has refused to investigate a whole
Sue Oh the UldHlleS VI 0Ou III Au-
man life. Pain is Gods danger signal,
warning us that we are out of har-
mony with some law. Better to be in
harmony; but if we wander, it is good
to have the warning pain. Pain ceases
when harmony is restored, because it
is not q thing, but only a mode of ac-
ton.
Second-A second assumption lies
under the first; that God cannot create
anything that gives disagreeable SEN
sations. Why is pain evil? 1 can find
no answer in christian Science" ex-
cept Because it pains me-
Third-It is assumed that God could
not make being with power to sin.
But he must either do so. or else Gre
ate nothing higher than the beasts.
Better, then, man with free will, fall
ing into sin and led back by God
through pain to harmony, than man
an automaton, with no power to choose
, between sin and right.
Fourth-It is assumed that orthodox
Christianity teaches the reality OF
! matter. 1t has nothing to say on that
subject.
Fifth-It is assumed that the church
teaches that, There is sensation in
/, matter" 1t has nothing to say or
that subject. No thoughtful man be-
lieves, however, that there is sensa.
d ton in matter
e SiXth-It is assumed that the church
. teaches that there is an omnipoten
t devil. She does not. She teaches thai
5. there are evil spirits with power t.
e work for evil in life, just as man ha:
;. such power, only in advanced degrees
{. But the devils are only creatures o.
IL God and under his control.
/ Seventh-It is assumed that, MIND
/ cannot be limited in it's action by mat
! ter" Yet every Scientist admits
It that as yet they are not able to liv
without eating. So far they are lin
l. tied by matter"
i Eighth-It is assumed that propo
v sition, if true, must read as well back
lie ward as forward. Mrs. Eddy, in pro
n pounding the axioms of the system
y says they are evidently true, becaus
l even if read backward, these propo
s, sitions will be found to agree in state
,e ment and proof" An example wi
iie show this assumption to be inadmis
y sible. All men are creatures with ply
e steal powers. Invert that proposition
O. Creatures with physical powers are a
e, men. Is this true? Or, again: Gold
;" yellow. Invert this: Yellow is golt
10 Is this true?
e. Passing by other assumptions, let u
r. look at certain contradictions.
- a being who can sin. 1t is "morts
lie mind" that sins. Yet mortal mind
is developed by the spiritual man
1g perversion or delusion; and the spiri
re ual man, they say, is God. God ha
then, fallen into decisions.
r, Second-We are assured that sil
III sickness and death are nonentitie
N, N yet in the next breath are told the
to are dangerous" "frightfuP' and I'll
like.
no Third-Mrs Eddy insists that on
IS what exists in the mind is real; yet
n, another place she makes light of g
error, because, being only in the min
Ter lit is merely "suppositional."
he Fourth-The healers profess to i'm
~, tate our Lord; yet he waited for Peep
ttlI v to appeal to him for healing. The
as thrust themselves in without invit
a ton, often where physicians al
ne priests are already in charge and Il
mt patient is satisfied. He never appeal
zee ito his healing as proofs of his missiC
ID. for the unbelieving. They continual
:es do so. He certainly never charged
a nse his cures, nor for his teachings TIL
Sc. charge for both, and charge no sms
rd- lsl1m. Mrs E,ddy's income for ty
81 weeks teaching in her school
no at, "Christian Science was, at one tin
or. she admits, $3,400.
Tas The many contradictions lead to
ing definite definite definitions, viii
n ,eS makes argument with a Scientist" {
in most impossible.
ger The fundamental proposition is
lb- argument in circle. Holy Scriptu
, ,l1 lis explained away or interpreted
nd the basis of a mistranslation, as
ON the case of the text so often quote
put Thou art of purer eyes than to
hold iniquity"
yn a 1 adduce all these things only
: show that the theory is inadmissil
led land cannot be expected as the expla
got alton of the remarkable things accol
'ou plished by the Scientists" That tn
,o+ have accomplished such things
ne not deny. Next week I hope to She
his what some of the mighty works" a,
for and to see more clearly certain trutl
n e which, I am glad to admit, Christi
i've Science" has brought out into clear
bic land much needed observation.
ow ---
!, Unitarian.
Autumn leaves again frightened
taG theatre platform, and in their beau