The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-06-11


| Church. The Mother Church The First
Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston:
Divine Love bids me say,--As>embe not
at the residence OF your Pastor Emeritus
at or about the time Of our Annual
Meeting and Communion service for the
divine and not the human should engage
our attention at this sacred season OF
prayer and praise"
4 casual observer cannot ial 10 rec
ognize that to the skill OF Mrs. Eddy
as an organizer and to her genius as a
religious leader is due the present i'm
petus OF the Christian Science move
ment, and the completion OF the splendid
edifiee dedicated in Boston today. may
be counted among her most brilliant
achievements, for the funds which were
thus expended have been given rs an
expression of appreciation and love for
her no less than in recognition OF the
needs of this great movement the credit
for the initiation and successful guidance
of which i, due this remarkable woman.
1t has been said that the Christian
Science denomination is made up largely
of recruits rescued from the grave, a
very large percentage Of Christian
Scientist converts having become inter
ested on account OF the healing benefits
which they have received In fact, Chris
tian Science has drawn lis adherents
from all classes, the clergy and medical
fraternity included. Scarcely a village
or town can be found which has not
band Of Christian Scientists, and hardly
an individual who has not some friend
or relative that has been beneficiary
of it.
So numerous have Christian Scientists
become within the last few years that
public criticism of its teachings can no
longer be INDUCED in without awaking
prompt protest The street.car and the
railway coach may contain an ardent
believer, and the dissenter frequently
meets a prompt but kindly challenge
when he makes statements derogat0ry to
the cause Or its Leader Two young
ladies on the front seat Of an open street
car having just passed the Christian
Science church in Boston, quite naturally
began to speak on the subject Of Chris
tian Science, and it was noticed that
gentleman in the same seat began to
move about uneasily as the conversation
was more or less nncomplimentary. At
length he leaned over and said to the
ladies': 81 trust you will pardon the in
terruption Of a stranger but cannot re-
frain fro mtelling you that more chan
fifteen years ago, after having lost all
hopes Of recovery, | was healed of con
sumption through Christian SCIENCE, and
this to me is the strongest possible argtl-
ment in its favor" The fair critics look
ed up in surprise at the strong, athletic
man and speedily expressed more con
siderate attitude Of thought.
Not long since two gentlemen entered
railway coach. One Of them was de-
nouncing Christian Science in heated
manner. By and by his friend left the
train, and a Christian Scientist who had
overheard the conversation politely oc-
cupied the vacant seat and began to
speak of some of the benefits which he
had observed in connection with Chris
tian Science treatment. The critic az
once changed his tone and began to refer
to benefits which he too had observed.
This incident serves to suggest that
which fosters and perpetuates the ap-
parently unabating interest in the Chris
tian Science movement. Whether or not
we are ready to endorse Christian