The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-06-12

ways, ana always more VI Tess Ndlnly,
until it would sometimes seem as
though prayer has become merely
formal habit, but yielding perhaps
some comfort, but barren of practical
results. Is it not clear that there must
be something the matter with prayer
that is unanswered? Do people gen
orally expect an answer to prayer?
Suppose for a moment that all pray
ers were to be answered! Could hu-
man language depict the chaos that
would reign in consequence? Surely
our loving heavenly Father does not
disregard a righteous prayer. The
general belief about prayer has been
self-evidently wrong. The example OF
Jesus proves that the right way or
praying results practically. He said:
~ knew that thou nearest me always"
He evidently knew that his prayer was
heard. He knew how to pray in such
a way as to obtain an answer. is 1t
sacrilegious to say that his prayers
were scientific? He referred all pow
er to God He said, There is none
good but one, that is God" IF do
not the works of my Father, believe
me not" Today, similar works are
being done in similar manner, not
because Of personality either IN the
time or ours, but because in Christian
time of trouble, and at all other times.
Christian Science still does the works
of the Father as it did in the time of
Jesus. y .as ~ "a
God and His Law.
Jesus said, "I came to. fulfill the
law" What law? No doubt he meant
the law of God which to his hearers
was embodied in the law of Moses.
4 T11,si ;n,, nf a N /.
a new God nor new law, but comes
declaring the same God and the same
law that Jesus declared, the one inf
mite, eternal God, and His good and
Interchangeable law. Christian Science
declares God to be Creator and Cause,
and subscribes to all the definitions Of
God given by Christian denominations
generally. Furthermore it amplifies
broadens and upliftS our thought con-
corning Him by declaring that God is
Mind God is divine Principle, and
these definitions are most appropriate,
for Mind and divine Principle indicate
the very nature and essence of Deity.
Mind agrees with the universally ac-
cepted declaration that God is infinite
Intelligence, and brings the divine fact
OF the omnipresence of God more
clearly to our consciousness. Divine
Principle shows that God is unchange-
able perfect and eternal in yolition
and action. Could any word more full
ly express the nature of Him with
whom is no varia blenesS neither shad-
ow of turning?" What is the use of
words if it be not indeed to produce
clear thought in relation to a given
subject? Ne words can change God
They only help or hinder humanity's
to understand Him. Personal
is one of the words that has hindered.
Christian Science does not deny the
personality of God as some have sup
posed, but ii must of necessity deny
that Infinity can be humanity personal.
To speak of God as personal in the
same sense that we use the word hui
manly is nothing. less than secrilege.
God must be infinite Personality. and
no other thought of His personality
should be entertained. Again, to
make a picture of anything. and Wor
ship it as God, would at once be call
ed idolatrous. Is it less so because the
picture is mental? ST. John says,
mo man hath seen God at any time"
Evidently St. John meant that God
could not be discerned or pictured by
the physical senses.
hTe omnipo tence, omniscience, and
of God have been de-
clared for ages, but the full import Of
such teaching has not been analysed
nor have it's logical results been ac-
knowledged. The Latin prefix, omni,
means ALL Placed before such words
as potency, or power, science, or
knowledge; and presence, when used
to describe God, it means all power,
all science, or knowledge, and all
presence. AS Science and Health"
we'll asks, "HoW can there bemore
than all?" Therefore, whoever affirms
the omnipotence, omniscience and ON
of God, denies all other
power, knowledge or presence; and
since God is admitted to be good, such
an one virtually denies any power,
knowledge or presence to evil. In
fact he denies the reality of evil, a
thing for which Christian Scientists
have not infrequently been condemned
by those who say they believe in the
omnlSclence, and omnl-
presence of God.
Christian Science declares in accord
ance with the Scriptures that God is
Life, Truth and Love. The law that
Jesus came to fulfill was the law of
this ever-present all-knowing, all
powerful God, who is Good, who is
Life, Truth and Love. and whose law
must conform to His infinite goodness.
Does this God, who is Life, Truth and
Love, send disease, sin, and death
evil? Does Cod who is infinite Love,
cause the Affections and sorrows of
his children? Just consider for a
moment: If you We're all-poWerful
and could establish law and enforce
it, and could do away with all evil,
would you do it, or not? Would you
not rejoice to see no more pain or
disease among these little ones, no
more terror or sorrow in mothers
hearts, no more griefbowed heads, no
more pain-racked bodies?" May we
not ask in the language of Scripture:
"Shall mortal man be more just than
God 2"
Accounts of Evil.
One of the most erroneous phases
of human belief is to be found in its
attempt to account for evil
One of the popular theological ways
of accounting for evil especially when
manifested as sickness or death in the
instance of good people or branches
children, is to ascribe it to the inscru-
table wisdom of God Inscrutable in
deed would be the wisdom that is inf
mite Love and Life, and that could
cease His infinity long enougs to af-
fiict His children with disease and
death. Christian Science takes no
part in any such lame and illogical