Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-12-15
CHRISTIAN SClENCE.
AN ABLE EXPOSITION OF THE NEW
RELIGIOUS DOCTRINE.



evening. He was introduced by W. F.
Armstrong, a director of the local church
and spoke entertaningly for over an hour.
giving a clear exposition of what the
science is not and what it is. He said:
REV. MIR. ToMDINsON'S ADDRESS.
Before beginning this lecture, may I
tell you how l came to be Christian
Scientist? The majority of this Faith
have entered through the door of heal
ing. After long years of suffering after
trying all schools of medicine. they have
been fully healed by this divine method.
Feeling the force of it's power. the
honest and grateful can do nothing else
but accept II and strive to live IL. Such
however was not my experience. L
came into Christian Science not because
of my own healing, nor because of the
healing of any friend. but because after
long and painstaking investigation /
became thoroughly convinced that
Christian Science was the religion OF the
Bible, the theology of Christ Jesus. and
the philosophy of common sense. Then
there was nothing for me to do as an
honest man, but to withdraw from a
fellowship l dearly loved. and fully ac-
cept and strive to attain the high ideal
of Christian Science. l was so slow
myself in grasping and accepting this
Truth, that | have a fellow feeling for
all who have not yet made IL their pos
session. While stu an active clergy
man. | had a copy of Science and Health
on my table six months. but | could not
understand II. l have passed through
all the prcjudices. l am aware OF all the
misconceptions, have raised all the OBJ
jections that come to others. l know
from actual experience that there Is not
an argument OF objection raised against
Christian Science that further study and
research does not fully and completely
answer. In that period of doubt and
misConception l should gladly have lis
tened to a true account of this healing
religion. None of us desire to mis-
understand or misjudge any cause that
has commended Itself to \ large number
of intelligent men and women. We all
say does every urprejudicej person.
If this Is really the Truth i want 1t. AT
least your presence indicates that you
are grateful for the privilege OF hearing
from an authorized source exactly what
Christian Science is not and what II u.
The theme is too large to be fully
treated in n brief address. A few salient
points only can be touched. To gain
fair estimate OF Christian Science one
should read the text book Science and
Health. with Key to the Scriptures. and
the other works of its author the Rev.
Mary Baker q. Eddy.
Christian Science is rejected by not
few. because they ignorantly classify 1t
with pantheism, mesmerism. spiritualism
and theosophy 1t il not the purpose of
this lecture to pass judgment upon any of
these systems of though. 1t is but fair
to say, however. that among the follow
ers of these systems OF thought are many
honest seekers OF Truth. To know that
Christian Science is neither mesmerism,
spiritualish or theosophy. you have but
to ask one of the we'll informed follow
ers of thete systems. They will quite
Lkalt tAli hot rhrs= CT Ia
not only unlike these systems. but is the
opposite of each and every one of them.
In nothing is Christian Science like. in
everything is it unlike mesmerism.
spiritualism. theosophy and pantheism.
NOT A FAD.
Some would easily dispose of Chris
tian Science by calling it fad. and they
declare that 1t will end when the new
wears on. But very slight knowl
edge will show that Christian Science Is
not foolish fad, but n very serious fact.
Christian Science has been before the
American public for more than thirty
years. 1t has $50 worshipping congre-
cations. with half million believers in
this country and in Europe, and is rap
idly spreading into all parts of the c!viiz-
Ell world. Its text book Science and
Health has passed through more than
$50 editions of one thousand each, and
sorA' have been restored from sickness
to health. Surely with careful thinker
and honest Investigator snap Of the
fingers can not dispose of a cause so
wide spread, so deep rooted. and so
beneticient
NOT A GODDESS RELIGION.
The time has passed for rejecting
Christian Science on the ground that II
is Goddess and intdel. Christian Science
can point to much ripened fruit and
must be judged by It's fruit Many who
are not Christian Scientists are ready to
say that it makes neishbors better neigh
bors, husbands better husbands. and
wives better wives. 1t inculcates hon
eSty. virtue temperance. and brotherly
kindness: and il helps men TO he holier
healthier and happier Some other rea-
son for rejecting Christian Science must
now he found than that it is dangerous
to good morals.
Some of the objections to Christian
Science do not deserve even passing
notice. hut surprising IS IL may seem
there are those who assert that Christian
Science is the fantastic dostrine that all
sickness is only imagination; that a cold
in the head is cured by telling a patient
that he has no head; that Christian
Scientist would say to stranger during
n Western blizzard. that there is no
storm and that all is as calm as day
IN June. UT AGAIN, tHat IL Is the doc
trine that husbands and wives were
never married and that their children do
not belong to them; that il teaches that
nature is nothing, and that all art is
error. 1t is needless to say that this Is
caricature, and has not even the SEM
blance of fact. Christian Science begets
wisdom and common sense. Its healing
is in harmony with reason and not an
insult to II. 1t enhances the apprecia-
ton of nature and art and fosters
deeper love for relatives and friends: for
Christian Science rests on reason as well
as revelation. and it appeals not to blind
credulity but TO open-eycd intelligence.
PERSONALITY.
1t has been said that Christian
Scientists make too much OF personality;
and some even to-day refuse to invests
gate this subject on the ground that
Christian Scientists worship Mrs. Eddy.
Had l been raised fIom an invalid bed
whereon had been spent long years OF
suffering, as have been so many thou
sands. by the metaphysics of this wo-
man; had | been healed of vice and de-
bauchery, and through Science and Health
made a new man, as have not a few; il
is possible my praises might seem to
some eNtravagant. But in fact IL is a
very sane view. that true Christian
Scientists have of their leader After
many years OF close application to the
study OF the problem OF human exist
ence, after long preparation through
sorrow and suffering, she was fitted TO
receive the divine revelation of the
tian Science. This science is embodied
in the text book OF Science and Health.
with Key to the Scriptures IL Ia bur
natural that the founder and discoyerer