The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-01-11
commandment we bend the energy of
our lives. Do you?
Relief 0f fho Christ3on


our lives. Do you?
Belief of the Christian.
l have stated the essential REQUIRE
ments of the religion of Jesus, every
. one of which is an intregal of our re-
ligious belief, and which combined.
from the rock upon which Christian
Science rests mistaken, the impregn-
able fortress behind which Christian
Science Is secure. 1t would be I'M
kind, possibly impertinent, not to as
sumo accept without saying, your pro-
fessed belief in these essentials of the
Christian religion; and if your belief Is
real, trustful, reliant, when tested by
your works, then relentless logic will
drive you either to change your re-
hgious belief, or cease your assaults
upon ours; and if your belief is not
real, not proven by your works, might
there not b ca suggestion of safety
to you in the caution to jewellers in
glass houses?
1t may be said chat 1 have given
you some of the points of doctrine up
on which the old churches and Christ
Ian Scientists agree but that 1 have
not told you anything about the many
points upon which they do not agree.
The failupre to do this was not an
oversight. 1t is part of the ethics
of my profession, that lawyer shall
willingly, smilingly, even gleefully
lose his own case rather than de-
Hberately slaughter his own logic. 1
have made an effort for a few moments
at least to satisfy you that upon the
essentials of the religion we do
agree. 1t is apparent to us that
religion of Jesus we do agree. 1t is
apparent to us that if you have the
essentials of that religion, then we
each shall have the gospel supplies,
and 1t is just as apparent to your logic
as to mine that if we are in accord
respecting the essentials of the relig-
ion of Jesus, then there is not anything
essential for us to disagree about,
and there never is an opportune time
to discuss nonessentials.
Again you might ask: eff we are
in harmony respecting the essentials
of religion of Jesus, what is the neces-
sity for a new church, why do you,
as nine-tenths of the Christian Scient.
lists have, gone out of the old church
esq? If we really believe alike respect
ing these essentials there is no answer
to the question; there would be no rea-
son, for church would be new,
transformed by the renewal of your
mind" all one; for when all the peo-
pie think alike and think Alright of
the one only living and true God there
will be and can be but one church, the
heavens its dome, che Lord God AL
mighty and the Lamb it's temple; the
redeemed nations shall walk in it, and
the glory of God shall light it.
You will observe, however, that in
my comparison of the old churches
belief and ours, I speak of declara-
lions of belief; and there is vast
difference between what one says he
believes and what he really believes.
Religious belief, belief in God, can not
be ascertained from human speech.
What you do, not what you say, de-
termines the status of your real be-
lief in God, your concept of God. A
declaration Of belief in the Infinite is
but futile attempt to express in finite
language the creatures obedience to
God, trust in God, and reliance upon
God.
There is no human language, tongue3
or speech, image, sign or character,
that can express it. God is Spirit,
and they that worship Him must wor-
ship Him in spirit and in truth"
Test of Belief.
Your worship of God is the infallible
test of your belief in God. venture
to illustrate my position. Suppose
some gentleman should arise and say
to this splendid audience, "My friends,
I believe that alcohol has brought
more sorrow into this world, more
heartache and heartbreak, has desol-
ated more homes, wrecked more lives,
drawn more tears than all other things
combined. beliece in my very soul
that every place where intoxicating
liquor is sold as a beverage is but a
ticket Office to hell, and that the face
of every honest man and woman
should be turned as flint agains this
horrible, chastity practice" and hav-
ing said this should go out of the house
and stop at the nearest ticket Office of
this character and by a few tickets
for himself and some for a few near
friends, from whom he does not wish
to be separated wherever the trans
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