The Washington herald., 1906-12-03

THE seeker after truth who hopes to
| find the meaning OF true religion by
study Of Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy's book
on Christian Science is. in my opinion.
in danger Of becoming an inmate of an
insane asylum" said Fred B. Smith. OF
| New York. the speaker at the Y. N. G.
A. meeting for men at the BelascO The
alter yesterday afternoon. My remarks
this afternoon" he said. ARE not d.
rected to those STEPPED IN sin. but to the
well-dressed, conceited. arrogant man.
moral man, who says he has no need
of a Saviour.
Tried to Read Book.
"As a preacher Of the Gospel, I have
felt it my duty 10 make a study OF the
various phases Of religion. With this
end in view. I purchased a copy of Mrs.
Eddys book on Christian Science and
endeavored to learn something from it's
pages. After a perusal Of several chap
ters l was at first convinced that many
Of the statements contained were due to
an error Of the printers After reading
the book I came TO the conclusion that
the man who made a study of it would
land In an insane asylum.
Acting upon the advice of a friend, /
also purchased a book on theOsOphy by
a noted author. The first chapter con-
tanned the following startling statements:
What you don't know, you don't know.
! What you don't know you can't know.
What you can't know is OF no use 70
you My study OF theOsOphy ceased abb
| ruptly. Any person can place together
Unfortunately the words of the Eng
lish language. embOdying in them some
sort OF faith, no matter what, and I can
this afternoon present IL 10 some man who
will say, That is what I believe"
Continuing. Mr.. Smith said he wished
| 70 present three thoughts TO his hearers,
/ first, that sin exists; second, that the
means OF salvation are open 10 every
earnest seeker, and third, that there is
indisputable evidence Of the existence
OF a God.
All Kinds of Sinners.
There are all shades and classes Of be-
| liefs, said the speaker. ''On one side
stands the inhdel. who denies the exist
ence Of God. Next comes the man who
says. Maybe there is a God. but no one
knows it. Then comes the followers Of
Herbert Spencer, who affirm that there
must be a first cause, but God is I'M
movable. And last. there is the man
who knows so much about God that It
might be believed he had visited Heaven
I am as afraid of the last man as I am
OF the inhdel"
Mr.. Smith prefaced his remarks by the
request that 500 be raised at the meet
ing for the Y. NJ. c. A This sum was
contributed IN sums ranging from a dol
/ lar, In addition 70 the collection.
While in Joplin, Mo, last Sunday" Mr.
Smith said, Il asked the congregation Of
men fer q one-dollar contribution. one
| hrawny miner arose in the rear OF the
theateT. and. holding aloft a bill said. 1
raise that ten l mention this merely as
an incident. When I ask for a contribu-
tioin in the East ! notice that hands are
raised very slowly and cautiously. In
this collection, eliminate the pennies
mcfarland Talks of Spencer.
Commissioner Macfarland. who presld-
ed at the meeting, referred to the death
Of President Samuel Spencer, Of the
Southern Railway.
Within an hour, and within a square
Of this building" he said. Il attended
the funeral Of President Spencer. Of the
Southern Railway whose tragic death on
Thanksgiving morning has Swallowed for
many the brightness Of every day since
cannot forbear TO pay my tribute-I
may say the tribute Of this community
to this good and great man.
1t is not alone because he was the de-
voted friend OF the Young Mems Chris
tian Association. but because he was the
friend Of every other noble cause; be-
cause he was devoted TO the DEVELOPMENT
OF the National Capital. and gave quietly
both his time and effort as we'll as his
money. that Washington to-day feels
that the world is far poorer because he is
gone. / am sure I express the commu-
nity's sentiment, as well as that of this
great audience, when l say that those
who are nearest to him have our sympa-
thy In their great sorrow."
1t was President Spencers timely con-
tributlon Of $500 on behalf OF the South
ern Railway that assisted the canvassiug
committee Of the new Y. NJ. c. A. Build
ing in g street 70 meet the conditions Of
many other gifts in the famous original
'thirty-day building campaign in Nav.
1905.