The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-05-13
ON CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
4 Methodist Preacher Contribute:
an Interesting Article 10 all
Eastern Paper.

mot and Houghton (Mich.l Daily
Mining Gazette. The letter was
written from Denver by Rev. job
B. Whitford. former pastor OF the
Lake Linden (Michl. NJ. f. church,
and we understand the editorial is
managing editor of the Gazette.
Both letter and editorial serve as
way-marks in the progress OF the
Christian Science movement up to
its present position of honor and
prestige,..and they reflect credit upon
their broad minded writer's.
Having incidentally made reference
in a former article to the spacious
and magnificent temple of the Chris
tan Scientists now nearing it's COM
p%letiOn, and having been told of
their wealth and intelligence, l
yielded to the solicitation OF friends
and went to their prayer meeting
n Wednesday night. What ] saw
and heard were to me a revelation.
] have eel nothing comparable to it
in Denver. The size of the audience
astonislled me. The capacity of the
building "a tested to the utmost.
Nor was this exceptional, but a COM
mon occurrence. Imagine a building
OF such dimensions as the Calumet
N. E. church filled in every part,
gallery included, and you have the
vision. I have not seen such a
prayer meeting since my boyhood
DAYS in Cornwall, when the great
chapels were filled with jubilant and
songful people. But what about
the people? Radiant faced, JOY
Gus. exhilerant, optimistic, and eX-
pectant as the syklarks in the morn
;ng, They gave every evidence OF
culture, refinement and wealth. 1t
lis not %extravagant to say that Chris
tian Science in Denver represents
some of the very best from all the
churches. 1t is a confluence of many
streams, a gathering Of many forces.
a concentration Of diversified expert
encaS.
Promptly at 8 p. M. the service
commenced. There vas a hush, a
profound quiet like the coming of
night on a ruined city. AS the
strains of the organ, like soft, en-
chanting lays, filled building, the
atmosphere seemed laden with rever-
ence, ideality, sublimitY and God.
ALL the conditions were favorable to
the hallowed ministries of silence
and to serene contemplation. The
very air seemed quieting and healing,
as though angles we're winnowing it
with their wings. Then came the
opening hymn, with its choral and
full th1oated melodies. What a vol
ume of song! But it was stately,
majestic, re%verential, suggestive Of
other Kingdoms and a diviner world.
Here again | Was reminded of the
congregational singing across the
sea- Following this choral outburst
of refreshing and uplifting song
anne the reading Of the holy scrip
lures in a natural and in pressive
manner. And how the people lis
tened. They listened as il for the
hrss time the simple and oft repeat
ed words had condensed broad areas
of light into flashes Of brilliant and
iridescent beauty. After a careful
survey of the audience [ could not
discover the slightest trace of in
difference or i%rreverence. Every
Ehere there was order. devotion.
harmony, as though the people we're
Hnder the sovereignty of munlticent
and boundless love.
Readings from "Science and
Health with Key to the Scriptures
then followed. After this order of
exercise there was perfect silence
Had a stranger crept into the room
With no particular liking for the
things of the SPIRIT. he would have
been caught and held in sweet cap
1iyity as B%londel's sweet song caught
and charmed the ear Of the lion
hearted prince. This silence was as
SuIl VI tnOuSul dS SpdCe ID lull VI
ether. After a few minutes ..of 81
fence the audience broke out into
ahe Lords prayer like a great cbo-
nus. The volume. the sweep, the
majesty and granduer Of the prayer
seemed to melt all horizons. dissolve
all boundaries, and ] looked out into
the llIimitable vastness Of worlds.
The very dome Of the sky seemed
lifted, and amber streams of glad
ness went ripping along the firma-
and sparkling to the edge Of
she remotest consultations. have
listened to the great orators and
have seen thousands swayed to and
sro as they poured forth melodies
1iaintive and tender, tumultuous and
Dive w%hellnlng, but the Lords prayer
uttered by a thousand voices, deep,
sull, measured and musical is a
sare experience.
rs AE4 ~. ,Eal.a4. 80 ~ 49,