The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-10-20
Jar EXPOSITION
acts Of Christian Science
Ae Work Its Adherents
Desire IN M

BE said in part:
Ladies and Gentlemen:-I assume
that there are some here who are un.
familiar with Christian Science
some who have come for the first
time to hear OF it. 1 will address
myself in part to these. l therefore
say that Christian Science has a text
book entitled Science and Health
with Key to the Scriptures" and its
author is the Rev. Mary Baker G,
Eddy. 1t was first published in 1875,
It is a treatise on healing through
the power of God, or the divine Mind
Or, as We claim, 1t is a thorough ex.
egesis of the Scriptural method OF
healing all manner of diseases, and
of curing all manner Of sin through
the understanding of God as all-pres-
ent. all-powerful. all-wise. and uni
versal Mind. In short, 1t is a spir-
itual Interpretation of the Bible;
hence its title: key to the Scrip
tures."
The Author.
The author of a book of note and
Of value is a person of whom people
desire to know, therefore l shall re-
fer briefly to the life and character
of Mrs. Eddy. 1t may not be amiss for
me to say that for nearly ten years,
as former First Reader in the Mother
Church In Boston and editor of the
oficial periodicals, I have had oppor-
tunities which enable me to speak in
diligently OF her life and character
as we'll as Of her labors and lit
erary attachments.
Speaking from this vantage
ground, I can truthfully say, that, in
tellectually. she is one Of the most
alert persons I have ever known;
that she labors necessarily and unset
fishly for the to which she has
devoted her life, and that, notwith-
standing her years, she performs an
amount Of labor each day which. II
known, would seem incredible, even
II done by m yet in the adolescence
of life. As to her religious char
acter. / speak my profoundsst con-
victioR when l say l believe it to be
in accord with the highest standard
Of Christian living.
Yet, notwithstanding her highly
spiritual nature, she is withal an in
tensely practical person. She keeps
close watch of current affairs and
%acQuaints herself with the worlds
dotngs. She is, moreover, a patri.
otto citizen of her native state and
ce her adopted city. contributing gem
erously of her mean toward their
material welfare and upbuilding
The Tenets.
I shall next speak Of the Church
Tenets. There Is in Boston a Mother
Church. organised q number Of years
since. having a membership Of nearly
forty thousand. composed of persons
residing In almost every psrt of the
country and OF other countries. This
membership is increasing at the rate
Of about 5000 annually. The Mother
Church has branch churches and sos
cieties to the number of nearly one
thousand, also situated In nearly ev-
cry part Of this country and Of other
countries. Some years ago the Mother
Church adopted q set of Church Ten
cts. These become also The tenets
Of all OF her branches. and must
be subscribed to and adopted by ev-
cry person becoming a member of the
Mother Church or of any of her
branches. These tenets furnish a
fair index to the religious faith or be-
lief of this movement, hence I shall
refer to them in substance. They
acknowledge the Scriptures to be the
jusptrsd word of God. They acknowl-
edge thu supremacy and infinity of
God. They acknowledge Christ and
his divinity. and DECLARE there is but
n Christ. They iaeulcate the om-
impotence. omnipresence and emnisci-
ence Of God; that God is Spirit that
mantle real, spiritual mans
made in the image and likeness of
ne4 according to the teachings Of
Genesis, and that this real man
Mu81s " W. N9SoooASy VI AAo 4eA6
tionshtp to God, rsAect, or image
forth, the divipe character. The
real and Immortal nan, therefore.
does reflect God. The mortal man.
or the unsHirituai map, does not re-
feet God. and IL not therefore His
Image and likeness.
The last Of these tenets enjoins
upon all who subscribe to them the
necessity Of striving. watching and
praying to have In themselves the
same Mud that was also in Christ
jesus. to love one another. and to
be meek. merciful. Just and pure.
Surely there can be no higher
standard Of Christianity. II there be
. person on this earth today who can
truly be saia te have in himself the
same Mind that Was also in Christ
Jesus. that person n 2 Christian. II
there are persons who are sincerely
striving. watching and praying t9
have that Mind, they arr, in that
sense. leading the chrjstIap lite,