The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-02-18
HELD SPELL BOUND
MRS LEASE MAKES HER APPEAR
ANCB AS A MINISTER

Both Morning and Evening on Sunday She
is Greeted with Immense Audiences
and Men and Women Stand Throughout
Ssrvice yyrapped in Amusement and
Wonder That Sick Woman Could Say
so Much and Contemplating What She
WouId Have Done had She Been Well
Hundreds Turned Away.
Sunday was Mrs Leases day in Wich
Eta. and the reception the lady receiV-
cd at the Central Christian church was
one that must have stirred her neart
with pride. Those who attended were
not only drawn by curiosity, for they
had frequently heard the celeorated
orator. but there was general desire
10 hear her from the pulpit.
Fully half hour before time set for
services 10 begin every seat in the large
church was occupied and ladies and
gentlemen were forced TO stand along
the aisles. All space in the edif1ce was
occupied and the windows We're raised
10 enable persons who were unable 10
gain adraittance 10 stand in the open
air with bare heads listening 10 me
sneaker. and they had no difficulty IN
hearing every word spoken.
AT the evening service, before the sun
had gone down in the western horizon,
the church began to i'll, and as IN the
morning, scores were unable TO gain
seat, but patiently stood throughout
the service. She began by saying that
her physician had forbidden her 10
speak and she would only say few
words. but she had hardly finished her
announcement when she forgot all
about her physician, and her health and
only saw the great audience before her
and spoke rapidly for forty-five MIMI
tes. Her subject was 1.-The Present
Needs" and her scripture lesson of
Christ and His Mission" She was
severe on those who advocated war
and called upon the mothers of the
land who had lost fathers and brothers
in the late terrible war to rise, take
Christ and His doctrine as their sword
and shield, and teach TO all the Father
hood of God and the brotherhood Of
man.
No speaker in Wichita has ever been
greeted with two more intellectual au-
dfences, and it is doubtful whether
there is a building in the city which
would have held those who desired TO
hear her.
In the morning Mrs. Lease took for
her text the TX chapter, q verse OF
Mark: But Jesus took him by the hand
and lifted him UP; and he arose. After
reading the text she spoke as follows:
More and mora it is dawning upon
the hearts Of men that Christianity is
not the passive acceptance Of mere
theological dogmas, but the living af a
life. 1t IS not a dream, a far-away
earnestly Wished-for ideal condition;
but living everyday reality, the soil
tary and sublime functions of which
alone make men equal to their duties
and responsibilities. It is not B. COM
plicated, tiresome network of creeds
and isms that needs must be contract
ed, or expanded, patched and repaired
to suit the ever-vaIying moods Of men;
but doctrine so simple, so wise and
benefcient that all may understand
Nowhere in the teachings of Christiani-
ty do we find mystery; nowhere I'M
certainty as to meaning of life or per-
plexity as to duty; nowhere a baIanc-
ing between probable or. improbable,
but everywhere directness, clearness,
simplicity.
rem; the human race is one great family
Love IS the one duty, the fulfillment of
the law, the one command upon obedi-
ence of which hangs al the laws and
the prophets.
For long centuries the church STUN
bled and struggled through strife and
error, laundering forth but half a
truth, Thou shalt love the Lord, thy
God, with all thy heart, and with all
thy soul and with an thy mind" and |
while this half truth was preached TO |
the world the robes Of religion were |
STAINED with blood, the Sabbath air was |
vexed with aiT-spliting Theological |
controversies, and a yawnlng sulphur
Gus he'll was ever ready into which an
awful avenging God might consign the |
helpless mortals who failing TO appre- |
ciate His father1y kindness should fail |
to love Him properly.
rs It any wonder that as the race |
evolved and slowly came I'D from the |
basement apartments Of being, they !
refused to accept This ihdeous doctrine |
or refused to swallow the religious nos |
trums. and theological compounds that |
were cut and dried from the trees OF |
superstition in the morning Of the |
worlds childhood
1T IS a hopeful shgn for the future /
that man-msde creeds and theological |
Cubbish are being banisfed to the world |
garrett, where We sometimes pensivelv |
gaze upon 'herl with the same degree of |
solemnity and reverence that we be- |
stow upon the spinning wheel and dis |
'aff of a colonial graud-dame.
They served the purpose OF h,Imani- |
ty in an undevelOped condition, but be
time things have taken their place and |
the race is striving toward a higher |
ideal The world is 10 be congratu- |
lated that the number of ministers y |
daily growing who have the courage 10 /
break away from dogma and doctrine 1
end preach Christ and the love which (
Christ taught.
The world is 70 be Concra tu7ateJ !
that that other command to which the .
first is but Introductory and prepara-
tory. the other half of the truth is be-.
Ing presented: Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as myself And with th, |
presentation Of the whole truth. truth 1
ana love combined. invincible and for /
ever. An angry God. an endless hell. |
tormenting flames and martyrs GrOans !
sink slowly down the low horizon OF |
the past
Strange that We had not discovered |
& sooner but the whole structure Of /