The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-09-01
FROM
DR.. R0SEBR0
he Tells Of Some OF New York's
Churches.
HIS VIEWS ON CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

To The Free Lance,

teFnaps some rf NOur readers would
Ike To 70 with mo To some 81 the church.
es here and take my impress ons for
what they are worth. Many % the Lead
my churches close during AT least part Of
July and August. for which thev have
been sharply criticised. One ~ ihe ua-
pers had a cartoon of the devil standing
before closed church. end with a sar-
donic grin saying; 81 don't close nv
work Ia summer Yet even the down
town churches have p,tiuliy small audi
ences morning Rud evening, though
ihou-ands ui people nre nearby "A have
= 'en I'm several.
Some of the others have adopted the
plan OF filing the pulpits during J uly and
August with preachers OF O : melton
from abroad, from the West and from
The Soutl. Ia this WAY large clrgrega-
tions are secured, and arm happy TO
say.t preaching has been exec psionslly
fine, scripture and spiritual
| viii sp.aS specially of tw, Fifth
Avenue Presbyterian aud St Bnrtholo-
new Episcopal. At the former the
preaching has been By Dr. To-cy. The
well known evangelist; DR. Len Trough
ton. OF Atlanta; Rev Hugh Black and
Dr. tampb' II Morgan. OF London. At
IT. harthoiumew. DR.. Holden. ~ st
Paui = chapel. London has been tie only
preacher AID ne has been giving the
large audiences. iu sermons of gr, At spir-
ituai power, the filest ~ the wheat. q"
rhere the large. fnely-tra!ned. vested
choir makes the musical part OF the wor-
shlp exceptional rich. while the beautiful
church also adds To the attr8ctiveness of
/ the service.
At Fifth Avenue Preshy teriau precen-
tor, with clear. M loGiOus voice, leads
I ErH.afr rHlF FfraHa a
70 Join IN. To my taste. no church mu-
sic can equal that OF a great ccnzrega-
ton singing heartily unto the Lord.
From what have had the privilege of
hearing, II may be said that New York
certainly has had this summe, some OF
the very best Gospel preaching
In Montreal, as we'll a. herr, the Ro-
man Catholic cathedrals surpa-s the
other church buildings in size cost and
architectural beauty. Notre Dame. in
Montreal, gothic structure. with a
chapel in the rear which r. gem of Ar
tistic beauty, holds 10000 people st.
James. modelled alter st. Peters 80
Rome, and one-third It's sizs. l. said 10 be
the most magnificent ecclesiastlcal build
Ing on the American continent. while IN
New York St James Catholic and St
Johns Episcopal, still uufinis IA, j, are the
/
70 the architectural beauty OF cfries. Yet.
one can not help asking whether it l.
right To put so much money in them. OF
course. II the object T. TO reach the people
by preaching. such huge buildings are
entirely unsuited to that end No one
could possibly be heard The music
swelling through it's lofty arches, the
dim religious light" the architectural
beauty, satisfies our aesthetic taste, and
may elevate the soul. hut II ia by the
"foolishness OF preaching" that men are
brought TO God, and great cathedrals
are not suited for this. Yet, millions
upon millions have been spont upon them
In Europe and America. One rrgrets, Of
course. that In the Purhan struggles for
liberty so much damage was done 70
many noble structures Yet, | confess
sympathize with Crom vel, when, in Dur
ham cathedral, he asked: What are
those silver statues" The reply was
The twelve Apostles, sir" Let them
be melted down and sent to their work
OF preaching the Gospel" Westminster
Abbey does more for England In its ap-
peal from its historical associations and
the memory OF the ilustrious dead sleep
ing there than from it's religious worship.
IL was wise in the Presby terians to re-
fuse to follow Judge Strong in his urgent
move to build splendid cathedral In
Washington city. Let the money be
used by Christian zeal in extending the
Kingdom OF Christ In our land aud across
the seas,
I One Wednesday evening attended a
service at the First Church of Christian
Science, which Is one Of the handsomest
buildings in New York. 1t was a warm
evening and a very small attendance was
a a. hn | h.. L.
| church was filed with well-dressed hap
py looking women and "oi men not a
few" 1t was testimony meeting and
while come OF the testimonies ran along
stereotyped lines, yet | was impressed
by their earnestness and sincerity. One
lady had been cured of diphtheria; an-
| other OF pneumonia; one man OF drunk
enness; another of financial trouble: he
was $500 short in his account at bank.
and worried himself sick over IL I'LL he
| thought OF Christian Science; then he felt
peace and the next day at bank he found
be had counted a 81 900 bill as $780,;
then he realized what he 80 we'd to Christ
ian Science" While some could not be
heard, the people did not grow restive,
but sat nquiet decorum till one could be
heard. | was glad to hear the excellent
singing and glad too that ! could see
AhN hCeAt ctl- many
people OF Intelligence and irreproachable
character are firm believers in Christian
Science. What gives this a hold on intel
ligent people? One power IL has is the
he8lings. Here are truthful and sensible
people testiiying they have been healed
ofdivers diseases. Must that not be from
heaven which cures what the best physi-
clans can not?
Then again, the emphasis laid on culti-
waiting peaceful and cOntented mind
shows In the lives OF the adherents to
their advantage. The Bible certainly
tells US to be careful for nothing, anxious
about nothing; to cast our care on Him:
to rejoice In the Lord; my peace give
unto you"
Christian Science has done good in en-
phasizng these truths, has taught TO
think less OF their troubles and ailments.
Yet, as ! was returning home | Thought
OF these facts: i. Mrs. Eddy's book. the
foundation OF Christian Science beliefs.
boldly claims that it Is Gods last and
best revelation to men and thus puts It.
self above the Bible. do not stop TO
criticise "sience aud health" for its iilogi- |
col twaddie. its childish repetitions and |
assertions: nor because It Is nothing but
a weak imitation OF the long since absn- |
doned teaching OF Bishop BeFkeley's |
idealism, that matter has no real exis- |
tence, which no sane philosophy would |
now teach; but when IL claims q higher /
place than Gods book and when Mrs. |
EDDY dares 10 put her words above those |
y -. -. -.