The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-12-16
NAY 9, 1909.
Being the Impressions of an Un-
beIieverAt the Hon. william G.
Ewing's Lecture on Christian
Science.

Science.
The date is craven on the tablets Of
my memory by reason Of certain hap
penings, among others. Of painless sur
gerry under the superadded terrors OF
anaesthetics. 1t had reached me that
Christian Scientists taught that pain
was Illusion, a thing that to the Be-
lever was not. The notion at all times
struck me as humorous. 1t occurred to
me as 1 passed the Queens Hall that
at that hour Judge Ewing. the fore
most OF that diverting creed,
was aboU. to deliver his lecture invit-
ing the con liberation OF UnLSlievers OF
the views he held. In my mood the
thought came to me with the saving
grace of comic relief. i suffered my
self to be swept away by the current
that set towards the main doors. Those
gifted beings who can read between
the lines may be tempted to deduce
that / Joined the stream with intent
to scott. Frankly, l did.
A great meeting, undoubtedly, il only
by sheer force OF numbers. There was
hardly a vacant seat on the floor OF
the vast hail. Its walls were outlined
by a dim row OF faces. tier behind tier.
all turned towards the empty platform.
Faces. faces. en- every hand. 1t made
o feel rather daZed, more especially
il you were simultaneously enjoying
the after-affects of an anaesthetic. A
great meeting surely, yet not, on bet
ter ACQUAINTANCE of the constituents. d
meeting one has learnt to associate
with d gathering of cranks and fad
dists. The glow of beauty. the glitter
of wealth. the stir OF youth, the energy
80 -n-a Lo@1 49, =
old age, and deep thought made UP this
vast ~aoscmblage. a critical and edu-
Gated congregation if ever there was
one, awaiting the wisdom OF a great
preached. The air of in%tentness that
reigned impressed me. There was none
of that uneasiness, that air of unrest
that usually betrays a great c%oncourse.
There was none of that ripple of hack
ing coughs and uneasy gIggling thai
commonly StirS its restless surface,
more especially when that for which
it waits keeps it waiting. The hush,
the expectancy, the stiffness of that up
turned sea of faces was impressive. Ii
was as If the vast audience was held
under Tie spell of a great peace.
Wether it was so or not, 1 do not
know. l only aspire to hold the i'm
preston of the moment.
Then two men, everyday men, in the
garn or the market-place, stepped
quickly across the platform aid took
their prepared seats. An anti climax
OF the most grotesque. What went yt
GU TO See, We thousand Straining, up
turned faces? Surrey, men of such
guisa thronS the streets? One of the
two rise to speak. HIS words to intro
duce the speaker are commonplace,
conventional, banaI. The speaker rises.
He begins his lecture, haItingiy, feebty,
without owe What went We out foI
TO see, ye foolish thousands? A reea
shaken by the wind? A slight man, OIL
nervous jerk and gesture, with none ot
the expected graces of oratory. 1t IS
only by reason of this magnetic hush
that he obtains a hearing. The spell
must. perforce it must, soon be broken
What IL this? A new sound breaks
the stiffness. A ripple of laughter hero.
a splash of human gaiety there. 1t is
utterly unexpected, almost incongruous.
The ever monotonous voice lows on.
Words, words, words! But words that
touch you nearly. Words you have only
breathed in the silence of your cham
Der this man utters from the naked
platform, unafraid. Is there harmony
in Earring creeds? Is peace the last
outcome of strife? How does this man
know these secret things? And the
voice gathering volume and weight Wi. Il
every pregnant word rings in your ears
as or one Who has q message to deliver
and that right urgently. Power fell
upon him and bright tongues of flame
An orator by the grace of God at last.
A ray of sudden sunlight pierces the
upper windows of the dim hall. It's
shaft, by some strange chance, strikes
full the speakers face. You see a face,
illumined in soft radiance, the face of q
man who has suffered much and after
i great tribulation has found peace. A
face of infinite tenderness and of infinite
knowledge. Gone are the wooden ges-
lures. gone is the halting speech. This
man is a speaker, silver-tongued, be-
cause he has a message to deliver, and
himself believes that his message IS
true. Pain n darkness is of evil: hooe
and gladnesS is Of good. Glad tidings
of great joy, though the one thing
needed be Faith. In q p~eroration OF
ringing, resonant beauty the voice dies
away. AS with upturned face and out
spread arms he stands in the halo OF
flooding sunlight you realize the real
beauty Of the unwonted spectacle. It IS
the beauty Of holiness that passes all
understanding.
I believe now that the speaker be-
lieved he a a message to deliver and
that his message was true. 1t may ba
true; it may be false. But he believed
in it with his whole heart and soul-or
he is the most marvellous and magnetic
actor that has ever faced the puoli.
gaze.
This is an admittedly impressioni=r
sketch, and therefore utterly withoy'
value. II is only the daub of one WIZ
aspires Ito paint the Thing as he se:~
it to the God of Things as they are
of one who went to jeer. but who foupc
that the jeer died upon his lips.-Tbe
Onlooker, London, Eng.