Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-08-04
JUDGE EWING'S LECTURE.
A Talented Speaker, Representing the
Mother Church of the Christian
Scientists

BOOu SlZeu duuleuCe III tuo OptId HOuse
on the subject of Christian Science, and
arrived at a fair and unbiased judg-
ment concerning their doctrine and its
effect on the community. Among other
things he said;
81 have high appreciation of the
courtesy of such presence and will en-
| deavor TO present my views upon the
subject of Christian Science with can
| dor and the earnestness OF my own con-
victions, but at the same time with such
due regard to all my hearers right of
opinion as will lead us, as belonging to
a common origin, common language
| and to common belief as TO the free
dom of states and people, to reason to-
gether about the things of eternity, and
unintuenced by prejudice or bias, to
hold fast that which is good. l have no
purpose of proselyting my object is not
| TO lessen other denominational strength
| or add to my own, but rather to throw a
ray of light on my hearers pathway and
to add something TO the JOY and sweet
ness of other lives. l know well the
difficulty of forsaking the traditions Of
our fathers, as it is within my own ex-
perience, my ancestors having been Cal
vinists for many generations, and have
therefore profound sympathy for the
man or woman who struggles with a
sense of present duty in conduct with
adhesion TO long cherished ancestral
opinions.
But all the advance in religion-as
well as in morality and liberty-for CEN
turies has been the result of the children
battling against the beliefs Of their an
cestors. John Calvin questioned the be-
liefs of his fathers and gave US the great
Presbyterian church, with all the
church's Calvinistic tendencies Martin
Luther raised his voice against the be-
| liefs of his father and the world rejoiced
i'll the reformation. The Wesleys for
sock the tenets of their fathers, and the
sublime devotion Of the Methodist cir
cult rider gladdened and purified the
humble homes of England and America.
The effect of our ancestors thought up
on the civilization of the world should
not be underestimated. But clearly its
worth rests on the patent fact of the in
destructability and constant progression
of good, and the further fact that the ex-
perience of each generation furnishes
vantage ground to its successor for some
thing better. We should profit by the
experience of the past, but we must act
III the blazing light of the future.
"In the limited time of single lecture
(and / believe the limit should be one
hour with leaning to the side of mercy
l can, at best only tell you in the simp-
lest form of expression Of what this
wonderful revelation has done and is do
ing for a sin-burdened world, give you
some suggestions of the infinite principle
80 Sn;a la
pends, with the hope that you feel such
interests in it as will lead each one of
you for himself to make such careful
and faithful research of the avenues of
truth as to enable you with intelligence
and honesty to determine whether
Christian Science brings to the world
Dead Sea fruit, that turns to ashes at
touch, or rather beautiful and abiding
hope, born of understanding and radiant
with love Of God.
Doubtless there are many points in
volved in Christian belief and conduct
respecting which all religionists and
Christian Scientists are in accord. You
all are in favor of whatever will make
men and women better, purer. more
loving and lovable. You will also favor
whatever lessons the burdens and sor-
avarice, selfishness and lust; whatever
will exalt manhood, sanctify the home,
and enthrone virtue, and so will we.
You believe in one God, the father of
all, infinite in wisdom, justice, mercy,
truth and love, a divine, spiritual, in.
corporal intelligence, with all power,
all presence, all knowledge-and so do
we. You believe in Jesus Christ, the
only begotten son of God, the immacu.
late conception of the virgin mother,
and receive him as your Lord, Savior
and Exampler-and so do we. You be-
lieve the ten commandments should be
absolutely obeyed as the law of God ,one
not less than another-so do we. You
believe that prayer is both a privilege
and a duty-so do we. So it would ap-
pear that upon the cardinal doctrines of
religious belief we are in accord; and
this itself, should, in my Judgment,
lead religious people of whatever denom-
ination to, at least investigate Christ
ian Science before condemning it.
christian Science was revealed to
the world some thirty years ago through
the Rev. Mary Baker Eddy. Its whole
philosophy and practice is established to
the world in book entitled Science
and Health, with Guide to the Scrip
lures" In this book Mrs. Eddy declares
that in her whole researches for the
truth, the Bible was her only guide, and
she promulgates no doctrine, belief or
practice of Christian Science that she
did not, and that you may not, find in
the Bible.
Therefore, il must be understood that
no new divinity is to be loved and
adored We believe in the one only
living and true God. We believe that
Christ's mission on earth was to heal the
sick as we'll as TO preach the gospel and
that His direction to His disciples to "go
into the world and preach the gospel to
every creature, heal the sick, and give
sight to the blind" was direction to
his disciples of all generations in all
time. Jesus wrought what are called
His miracles, as He declared Himself,
by the power of God, His father, and by
that same power and not by reason of
any virtue in any power or any human