The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-11-10
METAPHYSICS.

Something Abcut the New Movement and
lis Representative Organization In
RhOd: Island.
a member Of the Rhode Island Metaphy steal
Association furnishes The News with the
following authorized statement Of its aims,
purposes and basis Of faith and works:
The constitution of the Rhode Island Meta
physical Association states that il Is organ
lied for the promoting Of a larger interes
in the practical application OF spiritual power
to the healing of disease, the DEVELOPMENT Of
the spiritual attributes with which mankind
are endowed by the Infinite and All-wise Gre
ator. and the unfoldment in every heart Of n
broader and more altrustic thought concern
ing the sublime truths taught and exempli-
fed by Christ That it will also pursue
course of investigation along the various lines
OF ply ysical research, with the object of wisely
discriminating between the true and the
false, and OF endorsing and supporting only
that which is found TO be In harmony with the
clear logic of reason and with the universal
law Of the Divine.
with the above specific objects i'm view,"
IL continues, lit will be the purpose Of the
members of this association to endeavor TO
lnAtTesis INSTRUCT anu hiu ono hnotner III tne
cultivation of the higher elements of the
spiritual science of mind, and to disseminate
the knowledge thereby gained by the wisest
and most judicious methods"
Nineteen hundred years ago n voice WAS
heard in far-away Judaea. saying: II am the
Resurrection and The Life hc that believe h
in Me-, though he were dead, yet shall he
live; and he that liveth and belioveth in Me-
shall never die"
The Christian church has accepted these
words and believes them ardently today, al
though no visible proof of their truth has
ever been given to mankind. But Christ said
also: And these signs shall follow them
that believe; in My name shall they east out
devils; they shall sreak with rev tongues
they shall take mp serpents; and il they
drink any deadly thing IL shall not hurt
them. they shall lay hands on the sick and
thoy sh II recover" We have veil authenti
Gated records that these things did once
actually occur, yet the greater part of the
church today does not accept that promise.
Upon these supposed miraculous manifesto.
tions was based the faith Of the early church;
upon what rests the faith of modern Chrsten
dom? 1t is perhaps safe to say that it has no
manifest basis except the authority Of the
church or that of the Bible. Scientific
thought mas been gradually undermining
both those foundations, but having. to the
disnay of many faithful disciples well nigh
destroyed them, 1t is itself in turn building
up wnere once it seemed only 70 oycrturn.
Apparent miracles are not what they seem,
violations of natural law, they are manifesto.
tions of mental OF spiritual power, perfectly
in harmony with law and with the express
commands Of Christ. They are the true and
only visible attestaton of the presence OF the
Spirit of God in the souls Of believers. They
prove the power of the spiritual over the
ply sical; of mind over matter.
In all ages there have reen holy men and
women who exercised the healing power
which Christ taught to his disciples. Our
own day is witnessing n great revival Of this
power, due to a widespread spiritual awaken
ing in all denominations OF the church, as
well rs to the sudden turn that scienti.
fc thought has taken in the direction OF
psychology and metaphysics. The cures
wrought by prayer are now no more d, MED
than those accomplished through hypnoiism
or any other new method that has come into
now is the explanation Of the phenomena
ANY impartial observer can verify the facts
Metaphysics is the science Of those aspects of
life that above the physical, and il
searches 'nto the nature OF things and ana
iyzes the causes, the processes and the results
in all methods Of healing, even those that APP
pear TO rest upon purely physical basis.
New and astonishing discoveries have been
L.. H. A..
ually Transforming medical practice. explain
ing away many cherished hypothesis and
bringing to man a new under standing of his
own powers and his own divine supremacy
over the things Of this world. 1t teaches
that ''it is the spirit that Quickeneth: the
flesh profteth nothing"
Psychologists the world over are investgat-
ing the subject OF mental action and its
effects upon the ply scal system In admit.
ting that there is room for further investiea-
tion, IL is not denied that we may have q
sufficient practical knowledge OF the healing
power to perform many wonderful works
scientifically, the structure rests upon the
law OF mental causation. Practically, it rests
upon faith and purity of life.
1t is not necessary to change our habitual
form of prayer IN order to pray both under.
standingly and with faith. Only one thing
must be changed. IF IL be Thy will' is not
a suitable phrase in asking for what we
know to be the Divine VIII for u.s. II we
'ask and receive not" il is because we TASK
arniss," and not because the universal law is
at fault. That law establishes health and
not only health, but progress and develop
ment. In harmony and sickness are abnor-
nal conditions, result of broken law, not
of Gods mysterious dispensatons. There
is a spiritual power within each one of US