Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-29

hundred It's ordinary expenses are
about $4,000 a year.
| During the construction of the mother
church in Boston all branch churches
have been contributing to the fund for
! its construction. This has, in a meas
ure, delayed the building of branch
churches, as the completion of the
mother church has been considered as
of first Importance and consideration.
To the building fund of that church
the First church of Los Angeles has
contributed $4,000. The Second church
! of Los Angeles has contributed to date
$50, $50. of which amount the children
of the Sunday school contributed
s2O01.sS. Besides this, private individ-
uals in Los Angeles, some members of
the church and some not, have donated
$500 not included in the donations
through the church organiza ton. max
ing a total subscription from this city,
so far as known to the writer, of
$35. 160. To this fund the First church
of San Francisco has contributed $19,-
52S and it has within the last eighteen
months increased its membership from
300 to 400 and its congregation from
700 to 1900.
Interest in Christian Science is in
creasing greatly in Los Angeles, as in
other places. This is shown by the con-
stantly growing attendance at the
church services and the rapidly in
creasing number of the sick and
afflicted that are seeking Christian
Science healing every day and finding
relief. The Simpson auditorium is
thronged with people every Wednes-
day evening, eager to hear the testi-
monials of healing by those who have
found relief During the year ending
April /, 1906, there were sold at the
reading room of the Second church of
Los Angeles 1190 copies of Science and
Health" and of the First church 174
copies, making 1864, and the sales are
rapidly increasing, showing steady
Increase of interest and study.
What Church Stands For-What Doing
There is a popular belief that Chris
tian Science is no more than a mind
healing agency and not a religion. This
is a mistake 1t is it's relii Dn of truth
and love that is the foundation and
cause of the healing. 1t heals because
1t is Gods truth and the healing is the
visible, tangible evidence that the reli-
gion is true. The healing of disease is a
reformation of the individual the same
as the healing from sin. 1t is the same
healing that was done by Jesus and
that he commanded others to do. In
his time it was the healing that forced
belief in what he preached, and Chris
tian Scientists are striving to follow in
his footsteps to preach his gospel and
do the works that he did. If his teach
ings were true then they are no less
true now. If his command to heal the
sick, as part of the practice of true
religion, was binding then it is no less
binding now. Christian Scientists be-
lieve in the Bible. To them it is the
book of books. 1t is the foundation and
stay of their religion. Their text book,
Science and Health, is a commentary
on the Bible, an aid to its better and
fuller understanding. revealing God as
all wise, all good, all love and man
as his son, born in his image. 1t is a
religion of charity and brotherly love,
and stands for the highest in morals,
religion and citizenship. Christian
Scientists are not trying to build up
their religion by tearing down other re-
ligions or religious denominations. They
try to obey the command Judge not, :"
and are not found judging or criticising
other churches or other Christian work.
ers. They have the greatest respect for
the army of Christian ministers and
their co-workers in their churches. and
are endeavoring to make common cause
with them against the common enemy,
evil, in all its FORMS including sickness,
sin and death.
The membership of Christina Science
churches is made up very largely Of
former members, in good standing, of
other Christian churches. They have
come out from them because they
found, as they believe, a broader, more
helpful, more practical religion, and en-
tertain none but kindly feelings for the
old church. So Christian Scientists are
not making war on the doctors, who
are endeavoring to heal by material
means. They respect them for their sin
cerity and for the efforts they are
making to ameliorate human suffer.
ing. and the good they are doing. They
do not presume TO judge them or to IN
terfere with or detract from the work
they are doing. Christian Scientists
believe, with charitable tolerance for the