Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-05-20
JUDGE HANNA
At First Church Of Christ,
Scientist, Gardiner.
Greeted by a Large Crowd In
That Handsome Church.
Distinguished Speaker Introduced
by Mayor Will G. Atkins.

The First Church of Christ, Scientist,
was filled to overlooking Tuesday
evening on the occasion Of the address
by Judge Septimus J. Hanna, G. S. D.,
Of Boston upon ''Christian Science, the
Religion of the Bible" The audience
included the leading business and pro-
'fessional man of the town as we'll as
the members Of the Gardiner church.
DR.. Gideon P. Noyes, weli-known
Christian Science practitioner, who
makes his summer home in this city,
and Mrs. Edith Lllnt Smith. First
Reader of the Gardiner church, were
present. After preliminary selections
by the church organist, Miss Hope
Jackson, the distinguished speaker
was introduced by Mayor Will c..
Atkins. Mayor Atkins said:
Il feel that l have been accorded
great privilege in being permitted
to introduce the speaker of the even
ing. I felt extremely futtcred when
Dr.. Noyes asked me TO Introduce the
speaker of the evening. l felt still
more battered when Judge Hanna
called upon me at my office. This is
the first time in my practice of Il
y L
better of Il judge. l have a chance to
speak first and he cannot begin TO
speak until | am through.
II believe tho city of Gardiner as
well rs the local society should be con-
graduated upon having such a hand
some church ediffce. To my mind it is
the most beautiful public building in
the city Of Gardiner. 1t is also, | be-
Hove, The first church erected by the
Christ ian Scientists in The State of
Maine.
Il know Of Christian Science simply
from its exterior workings. l know
that from very small beginnings it has
grown To be one of the greatest Or
CARNATIONS in tho country. | know
that its I.eople are exceedingly loyal
to their church and to each other
Seeing people 81 enthusiastic over
their belief and so loyal to each other
leads me to believe that there must
be great deal in the principles of
Christian Science and that its great
work has just begun. 1t affords me
great pleasure to introduce to you to-
night one well versed in the priu-
| ciples of Christian Science, a soldier,
| jElrist and one of the leading church,
| men of the country, Judge Scptimus
| j. Hanna
The subject of Judge Hanna's lee
ture was christian Science, the Re-
| ligion OF the Bible He said in part:
"Chrstian Science has a text book
| 1t is. Il treatise on healing through the
| power of God, or the Divine Mind. 1t
| is Il spiritual Interpretation of the
| I III ,,lx, +l,a{ Ir,,
Eddy, the author of this book is in
Il tellcctually one of the most alert per-
sons l have ever known. She labors
necessarily and unselfshly for the
cause to which she has devoted her
life and notwithstanding her years
she performs an amount of labor each
day. which if known, would seem in
credible even if done by one in the
H adolescence Of life. AS to her re-
II liSious character 1 believe it to be in
accord with the highest standard of
Christian living. Yet, notwithstand-
inS Der high spiritual nature she is
withal an intensely practical person.
Il She keeps close watch of current af-
fairs ard acquaints herself with the
worlds doings.
There is in Boston, Mother
/ Church, having membership of
4 nearly $1,000. composed of persons re-
siding in nearly every part of this
| country and of other countries THE
| membership is increasing at the rate
| of about 5000 annually The Mother
| Church has branch churches and So
| cietieS to the number of more than
1000, also situated in nearly every part
of this country and other countries
Some years since the Mother Church
adopted a set of church tenets. These
became also the tenets of all her
| branches. They acknowledge the
| scriptures to be the inspired word of
| God. They acknowledge the su-
pr"lnacy and infnity of God. They
a. acknowledge Christ and his divinity
ard dcclare that there is but one
Chri. They inculcate the omnipo-
ten" oni.iIpresence and omniscience
of God that God is spirit; that man.
the real spiritual man, is made in the
image and likeness of God, and that
this real man must by the necessity
of his relationship to God reflect or
image the divine character.
"Christian Science teaches that God
is in truth Almighty. If he is AL
mighty. then surely he is correctly de-
fined by the other terms Omnipotent
Omnipresant. Omniscient. Supreme and
Infinite. He who is all powerful is
always all powerful He who is omni-
present is never absent He who is
al wise is never less than that, could
not be by the very necessity of His
all-wisdom.
"Ohjecton is sometimes made that
Christian Science is heterodox, be-
cause it teaches that there is no per-
sonal God. However such eminent
and large minded men and theologians
as Archbishop Farrar, Henry Ward
Bcecher, Lyman Abbott and many
others who speak with much of the
latter day theological authority, have
distinctly repudiated that conception
of God. which would make of him an
enlarged human personality, with hu
man passions, human limitations, hui
man caprice, and a human sense Of
justice and mercy.
eve believe in just such a God as
the psalmist sings of in the 103 psalm,
a God, who possesses the power to for