New-York tribune., 1901-01-31
RAMENT OF JUNCTION.


RAMENT OF JUNCTION.
IF the clergy would drop their old role Of truth
interpreters and adopt the role of truth seekers
their influence over the laty would be vastly greater
than it is to-day"
So said John Brooks Leavitt the lawyer before
the church Club last night when he took part in a
discussion of the merits and demerits OF Christian
Science Mr. Leavitt presented the laymans
View in contradistinction to what he called the
authoritative view. presented by the Rev. Or.
George NJ. Christian. rector of the Protestant
Episcopal Church of ST. Mary the Virgin in West
Fory-sixth-st.. and what he called the "scentihc'
view, presented by the Rev. Percy S Grant rector
OF the Church of the Ascension, Teuth-st and
Fifth-ave.
There a large attendance and George Mac
cuIoch Miller presided. After stating the object
OF the meeting in broad and liberal way he in
troduced as the first speaker DR.. Christian. who
announced that his subject was The Church and
Christian Science and said in part:
I am assuming that l am speaking only TO chill
eren ot the Protestant Episcopal Church. to those
70 whom Christian Science is abhorrent. l object
most strongly to the thought that Christian Science
has any sort of kinshp with the Christian faith
and Belial. Christian Science is a denial OF almost
every e tenet Of the Christian faith but it may
say, "a great deal in it," But can YOU show me
something true? The chief thing that strikes me me-
about Christian Scientists is not the healing they
play But faith in God is not Christian science,
chief raga wh cehS lhat Is 3He OF me me
hearts of so many good persons. But Christian
that matter is only belief Our faith teaches
that all which is made was made by God This
tianity '7'''' = '"'u '' '"''S-
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE AND CHRIST.
sn Our sn6n fan says Christ & was GOD and Chris
man but after ali only a human corporeai con-
eePt. Christianity holds that christ's corporeal
there regns forever Christian Science holds that
His body remained here. and only his spirit ascend
sim AssR sn5 ihgre ,s0ca no mater there
holiness Christianity holds that i"h sin IS horrible
realty Christian Science Is therefore clearly
system arrayed against much which the churchman
Yet for all this Christian Science is a power in
the Inc i land i'd Why is that? think its great power
protest is greatly needed-aganst materiaIism In
How IS @S cRurehman S to aonend against the
1 spread Of Christian Science? The only way ia nv
opinion lies in the correct setting forth in an lIp-
to-date way of the Catholic faith in ali its verify
and OF Our Lords teachings in regard TO the Cath
ollc Church with its whole sacramental system |
believe that II the sacrament of JUNCTION had been
maintained in our Church even the therapeutic
claims of the Christian Scientists would not have
OBTAINED % any sway over the hearts of men. hope
that sacrament will be restored to the Church.
AGAINST WHOLESALE CONDENSATION.
The Rev Mr. Grant came next He took the
view that the Christian Scientists were better per-
sonally than their creeds. which were written bv
unphilosophical persons who struggled vainIy to
express accurately certain great and what were
TO them at least newly discovered truths little
understood even by the wisest. Mr.. Grant said he
did not define the truth of the Church as closely
as DR. Christian had, and he deprecated wholesale
condemnation of the Christian Scientists just be-
cause they did not agree on many points with the
Church.
John Brooks Leavitt took execution to Dr Chris
tan's view that the tenets of the Christian
Scientists were more important than their healing
lie said one genuine healing Of far more inter
est IN he
Church changed its tenets so fast that ono v,ae nv,
able 10 tell where what the standards of trua
faith Were He asserted that the real value ~
christian Science lay in its purpose to read back
into the Catholic faith what the Church has read
out of the Catholic faith.
PREACHING AND HEALING.
He then went on to say. in part
DIR. Christian is in the direct line of anosto, so
fess9h fhe Apostles cured diseases why can't
der what God Joined together Jesus ioiped TN
preaching Of the Gospel and the healing of The
sick and he enjoned preaching and healing upon BON
ST Matthew xi Z, S: And when He had called unto
against uncean spirits cast them out and PS"fG f6
nesa m manner me Oh or sekqess nc mess and all manner of dis
heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead
to the twelve Apostles. BY no means Listen ~
this: After these things the Lord appointed ether
face into every city and place whittier He Himself
would % come therefore Cd he said unto them heal the
dom of God is come nigh unto you" - 'e-
And the seventy did what they were told as st
Matthew relates in these words And they cast
out many devils and anointed with oil MANY that
were sick and healed them"
And this wonderful power was not even confined
10 the seventy. Hear this And these signs shall
follow them that believe. Ia My name they shall
out devils. They shah lay hands on the
sick and they shall recover
Now / want you 10 mark also the important
fact that this wonderful power at ali
times at the command of Our Lord. Matthew
says in one place of Lord: And he could
there do mighty work because of their
unbelief." And / ask you If the second person In
| the Trinity deprived OF his power Of healing
by the unbellef of few Jews is IL hard TO beeee
| that a poor. ignorant (by compaTisOn) Christian
Scientist may be often made poweress by the un-
belief of Christians? Now. why don't clergy
preach that doctrine Of healing? Their reply Is that
| the age Of miracles is past. But who told them
that? Has the Church ever said so? No r our
clergy would drop their old role of truth interpre
ters and adopt that of truth seekers they would
have far more influence over the laity than they
have to-day. That there has been a large number
OF cures wrought by Christian Scientists cannot be
denied and our Church is inconsistent If il denies
the power of healing by faith and at the same time
asks US 70 believe the passages oL Scripture have
10 say for my part that If spiritual law can be