The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-01-15

| In the First Presbyterian churcn
last night Rev. James Mcleod, ID. D.,
| preached a very forceful sermon on
| christian Science; Not Christianity"
| He said:
| Judge Ewing's lecture on christian
| Science" which has been so widely pub
lished, is Il remarkable production.
| In his autobiography he says that no
was trained up rcligiously, by IA Scotch
| Irish Presbyterian mother. For more
| than IL quarter of a century nc was IN
communion with the Presbyterian church.
| For years after he had been in Mrs. Ed
dy's school, he found it hard to ''givc
| up the early lessons he had learned
| about "GCd, life, death, hell and heaven" :"
From his lecture 1t would seem that he
has not yet given up all those early les
| sons.
| Judge Ewing IL, apparently, Il very
modest man. lie disclaims all knowledge
| of the art of oratory, and as for flowers
| of speech he has no use for them.
Those disclaimers remind one of u GER
tain speaker of the olden time, who said:
81 am no Orator-I have neither wit, nor
| words, ror worth. action, nor utterance,
| nor the power of speech TO stir men S
blood" But, Notwithstanding this dis
| claimer. that old heather could make II
tolerably fair speech.
not be Offended If he is told that ms
lecture on "Chrstian Science" is in
marked contrast with his modest dis
claimer. His Grafton furnishes abundant
evidence that he has "wit and words and
the power of speech" and in preparing
his speech, he probably felt that his
subject would not be injured If he should
take pains to present 1t in the most
pleasing and attractive style.
N l,n fhnrnI1ivllv T.
sincere in respect both Of his belief and
his declarations. He says: II simply
want to talk to you as man to man, as
friend to friend, brother TO brother; my
only art will be the simplicity and cour-
age of conviction: my only argument
statement of facts. The sole purpose of
inquiry in every court of justice in Chris
tendon is, and ever has been, to invoke
facts; the world is weary of theories it
longs for facts; it is surfeited with dog
mas, arguments, and platitudes, and cries
out for facts"
EVADED THE POINT.
That seems quite fair, and one is ready
to listen to a man who talks in that
fashion. Facts-Facts about christian
Science"-that is what Judge EwinS
promised to give his audience, and that Is
precisely the point that he carefully and
adroitly cvaded. Judge Ewing did state
some facts. but it is doing him no inius-
iice to say that he suppressed the "iact3'
that 'Ckristian Science teaches. and
that differentiatc it from Christianity,and
that make it obnoxious to every right
minded Christian. Judge Ewing has TAX
en- II brief to defend christian Science"
and his enthusiasm as an advocate has
utterly disqualified him to act as ii right
eous judge. Pledging his word of honor
that he would state the facts" about
"Christian Science" he ought to have
redeemed that pledge. If he knew the
facts or the doctrines of "t'hristian Sci
cnce'' he ought to have stated them; II
he does not know them he ought hot to
have made such IL pledge.
There is a ground for suspicion that
the eloquent lecturer deliberately and de-
signedly suppressed the peculiar facts
which distinguish christian. Science"
These peculiar doctrines are contained in
ii book entitled "Science and Health-with
Key to the Scriptures" It's author is
Mrs. Eddy, the founder of "Christan Sci
encc." If anybody knows what Chris
tian Science Is, she ought to know. IL
Judge Ewing's lecture Is an honest cx-
preston of his conviction, he is not IL
"Christian Scientist of the Eddy type.
The God of the Bible and the God Of
Christians is an unknown God to "Chris-
tian Science" Judge Ewing says that
christian Science" urges its votaries to
believe in and to worship lone God and
Father of ALL" who is infinite in wisdom,
justice. goodness, mercy, truth. and love-
Undoubtedly some "Christian Scientists"
do believe in and worship this God. But
"Christian Science positively forbiis
such belief and worship.
For proof of this assertion note this
fact: christian Science denies the per-
sonality of God. 1t teaches that "the
~I
known" and 1t says specifically that God
is mot a person." (Sciencc and Health,
page 30. It teaches that man rejects
the impersonal God Up. 20S. 1t teach
es that "the divine principle, not person,
is the father and mother Of man and
the universe" Up. 1901. This teaching
runs through the whole text book OF
"Christian Science"
NOT THE BIBLE IDEA.
Now it is plain that this idea of God
is not the Bible idea The Bible teaches
us to call God our Father, it represents
Him as a personals our Creator, Preser-
Yer and Rcdecmer; it tells us that He
has spoken to us, and that we may spe iN
to Him; it urges us to love Him, and
trust Him, and pray unto Him. But if
God be not IA person, but only "a princi-
pie. then this Bible idea Of God Is untrue.
Nothing could be more absurd than to
see, or hear IL man praying to a princi-
pie. 1t would be absurd to pray to chem
istry, or to astronomy, or to electricity,
or to the atmosphere. Has gravitation, |
or chemistry, or the laws of nature eyes |
to see or ears to hear a sinner when he |
cries? Yet this is Mrs. Eddy's Coda
principle but not Il person-and this is |
the only god of "Christian Science"
If Judge Ewing knows this fact OF |
''Christian Science" he ought to havo |
maniness enough to state 1t. But in |
stead of this he deceived his audience by |
stating that the Christians God, and the |
god Of "Christian Science" are identical. |
Being n skillful advocate. the judge tried |
to cover up the facts by specious reason |
ing. and by IA liberal Use of flowers OF |
Rhetoric"
"Chrstian Science" rejects the Bible |
doctrine of the Trinity.
"Christian Science" says: "The theory |
Of three persons in one God suggests
neathen god' Up. 12D. Yet Judge Ewing, |
apparently, recognizes the Divinity OF Je-
,us Christ. He says that he believes "in
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of
God" In this, as in manN other things.
ne differs widely from the doctrines Of
Christian Science" His textbook,
which he praises So highly, says that
Jesus. by His demonstration of the di-
zine principle" mot person. is "entltled'
% "Sonship in Science" and that the
Holy Ghost is "Divine Science" Up. lSG.
Again. on page 5SS, the Holy Ghost is
lefined as "Divine Science" In both
places 1t is "Christian Science" that is
neafft. This doctrine is taught on page
~. where 1t is said "T'he Holy Ghost,
II Divine Science, overshadowed the
,ure virgln-mother with the full recoG-
lition that being is Spirit" Thus "Chris-
ian Science" throws to the winds the
Of hc T,ip |