Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-10-23
Spoke 10 Good Sized Audience
at the Opera House Last
Evening.
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
CAREFULLYEXPLAINED
Complete Summary Of the Adj
dress-=Speaker introduced
by Attorney Brazeau.

the opera mouse. DlStrlcU Attorney
Thee. w. Brazeau, who introduced
Judge Ewing, said in part
Ladies al d Gentlemen:-I have the
privilege and honor Of introducing the
distinguished speaker who is to adj
dress you this evening. His subject is
one that ought to interest every
intelligent person No branch of
philosophy and theology has received
more attention from writer's and
speakers the past ten years than
Christian Science. We are told by it's
followers and friends that no subject
has been SO little understood and SO
ignorantly or wilfully misrepresented.
1t ought, therefore, be with sense OF
great satisfaction that the people OF
Grand Rapids are permitted to
listen to an address upon that subject
by Judge Ewing, d distinguished
lawyer and juriSt of the state of
lilioniS, a clear and strong thinker
and one who comes to us with repu
tation as an entertaining and cOnvinc-
ing speaker. A II the speaker asks Of
the audience is a fair and impartial
hearing This, as a citizen of Grand
Rapids, | can assure Judge Ewing he
will have.
Judge Ewing spoke in part as follows
on the subject Of "Christian Science:"
Christian Scientists do not shrink
from the responsibility attaching to
their Christian belief and It's practice.
They do not invoke your sympathy
nor supplicate your charity: they
court investigation and demand
justice. Serene in their purpose to be
right, ifwrong, they would be righted;
II right, the good they have belongs to
humanity, and should be distributed
To its own. Hence their efforts in
the simplicity and sincerity Of
brotherly love TO tell you something
Of the joy that has sweetened their
lives and made them, as we would say,
not better than you are, but better
than they were, and that will make
you even better than you are.
Every Christian church has been
compelled to struggle for its establish
ment, and in the presentation of our
cause we are no more COmbated by
honest opinion than your church was,
whatever it's name, in it's effort for
recognition. Now, as then, it is pre-
JUDGE that brazenly cOnfrOntS every
new thought OF God, every concept OF
Vic lbUiiltc It hlllcl Dol ii vi
conscience and in the blazing light Of
the latest and best day that has glad
dened humanity. Prejudice is the
enemy Of progress: it would mock
equity, degrade charity, traduce
truth, dethrone right, pDllute justice,
it is devlish. 1t is pre-determination,
Judgment without evidence, CON
clusion without reason, conviction
without thought And yet. it is be-
cause we realise quite as well as you
do that many OF our people, and
especially many OF the good people OF
the old churches, are greatly pre-
JUDGED against what they think
Christian Science to be, that [ invite
your attention for brief moment
tonight. La fairness to myself and in
fairness to the good of the people
who challenge the Scriptural authority
for my position, | must say that | am
not surprised that you antagoniZe
what you think Christian Science is;
for IL it were indeed what you think.
it would not be very desirable
thing. 1t is my hope to lessen this
condition in some degree, and to
place you in the only position that an
honest mind can occupy to examine
prohtably any question worthy of
thought, viz. in the mental attitude
Of the honest judge, who goes upon
the bench To hold with even hand the
scales of justice, and allow his judy
ment to be formed by the truth. and
by the truth alone. 1t is no part of
my purpose to take anything from
you, but to add to the good you have:
/ have no quarrel with your church; l
simply commend the sweetness and
love and song of my own, and thank
God for the sweetness and love and
song of yours. | believe there never
has been an association of cOnScien-
tious men, and women for the purpose
Of building up God s kingdom that does
not today rest as a benediction on the
world. Ny effort is net to make you
think less OF your church, but to
correct your thought respecting my
own. lSpeak no word in unkindneSs,
but all in simple trust in the integrity
OF your purpose and of my own.
l talk tonight to men and women
who have the courage, the moral
courage, the physical courage, and,
what is more than either the in
tellectual integrity. to take awav
from this meeting whatever there is
OF value in it that meets the approval
OF their best Judgment and ripeSG con-
science; and the courage also to leave
behind, far behind, everything that
does not receive such approval.
Your thought OF Christian Science
iS-just how you got it do not know,
and doubt very much whether you do,
but still you have the thought that
in some way or other, Christian
Science Is antagOniStic TO the religion
OF Jesus Christ. and therefore you
antagoniZe Christian Science. If
your premise is right, If after con-
ScieptiouS investigation of our cuncept
OF God you reach the conclusion that
Christian Science is i'm any degree
inimical to the religion of Jesus
Christ. then. in my Judgment, it is
not only your privilege, but your duty,
to antagoniZe Christian Science, and
never to allow your opposition to it to
cease until either you cease yourself
or Christian Science ceases. My
reasonable demand is that you make
the investigation before you make the
assault. 1t is SO much easier to express
an opinion after you have formed it,.
remember years ago asking juror for
the purpose of testing his qUalitica tion
this question:-"Have you formed or
expressed any opinion of the merits
OF this case?" He evidently wanted
to serve, the contest between his
ambition and his conscience was
fierce for moment; then he turned
to the court and said, swell, Judge,
1t pears to me l hev expressed an
opinion about it, but before God |
hainu never formed any,"
Through every chance and change.