New-York tribune., 1908-10-10
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE.
Bliss Knapp, of Boston, Lectures to
Large and AppreciatiUe audience
at Second Church of Christ,
Scientist.

Mr Bliss Knapp OF Boston. a member OF
the official Board Of Lectureship Of the Chris
tian Science denomination, delivered in
teresting address last night before large
and appreciative audience in the edifce OF
Second Church Of Christ. Scientist Central
Park West and Sixty-eighth street Mr.
Knapp is well known throughout the United
States as a lecturer on Christian Science
He said in part:
II Christian Science were simply an intel
IectuaI pastine, touching only the emotions
and sentiments OF men, It could never emu
late the mercy Of primitive Christian heal
ing II IS generally admitted that II heals
the sick, bringing peace and comfort from
the nature OF its curative power Indeed. IL
has challenged attention not because OF any
failure but because Of its success IN good
works Far from being an ethical philOsO-
ply. this is life 70 be Hved.-a truth TO be
proved
Recognizing how essential II is ar some
time for all to claim their God-given right
10 be free. II may be interesting 10 observe
the method which Jesus adopted in teach
ing this healing power 10 his disciples Not
gifted in learning these disciples mani
tested an average intelligence and certain
familiarity with the Mosaic law. Doubtless
they were as familiar with the Old Testa-
ment writings the average individual Of
to-day. However. We may read in Luke's
Gospel how that Jesus Teproved them for
their unbelief Then opened be their under
standing. that they might understand the
Scriptures" Then one might be thoroughly
familiar with the Scripture lessons. and IN
his unbelief fail to understand them For
example. When Jesus healed the man with
the withered hand all that he said was.
Stretch forth thine hand. And it was re-
stored whole like as the other We all are
familiar with those words. but suppose any
one to-day repeated those same words 10
one suffering from d wtthered hand could
the mere repetition of those words heal
MIN? Il must be evident 70 you that not
the words but the spiritual understanding
Of the Master healed the sick Why. one
might commit to memory the whole Bible
from Genesis to Revelation and he unable
TO heal d single disease. for il is the spirit
ual understanding that needs to be opened
The letter killeth.' says the Scripture
but the spirit giveth life
When one turns TO God for comfort or con-
ISOLATION it is commonly through prayer
Christians taught TO pray for deliver
anae from sickness and from sin. They
continue their preaching against sin. but
the Christian healing Of sickness is appar-
emily apathetic from Unbelief The reason
may lie in the physical appearance OF sick
ness for If sickness were known 70 be as
mental as SIT. then il could be seen how
mental prayer could control both. II
disease were purely physical and could be
reached only By drugs or material means.
there could De no such thing as Christian
healing One Of the leading points in the
theology or Christian Science and one
which physicians are now admitting 10 be
true. is the mental nature Of disease
The observation that disease is mental has
aroused the frequent remark, Well IL pain
is all in the thinking. just think you are
well and you viii De 50. Now the same
ignorant belief that causes disease can
never cure II: for II thinking you are well
is all that is necessary. and II could ~ so
arranged at twelve clock tonight 10 have
everybody think they are we'll. then ali th4
pain and suffering Of the world would be
wiped out in a single night But the most
masterful logic OF material philosophy can
never convince a suffering man that his
pain IS not real for the same mind that pro-
dUces disease never destroy 1t. Only
the spiritual Mind taught by Christ
Jesus can uncover sin and disease and de
stroy it, and that Mind that was in Christ
Jesus has stood forth in bold relief through
out the Christian era as the panacea for the
worlds ills. Therefore let this mind be in
you which was also in Christ Jesus
Before Mrs. Eddy discovered Christian
Science she had been searching for years
along this line Of mental caUsatlon. She had
been studying homeopathy and learned the
mental nature OF disease. and that the
higher attenuatOns OF medicine which con-
tatned the least Of the drug and rhe most
mind were the most powerful She con
tinued her Investigations beyond horneop-
athy 10 a mental standpoint. with the cues
ton ever before her whether matter or Mind
heals the sick
In her subsequent Investigations Of men
tai influences she learned that the carnaI
viii magnetic healing was absolutely op-
posed 10 her own ideals OF mental healing
and she turned from IT, Surely God vas
even then guiding her Up TO the right under
standing Of primitive Christian healing
Indeed, she submitted to all manner Of
stress and trial. but withal proving a sp<s-
cial fitness receive the revelation OF
Truth. by cInging naturally 10 her IDEAL
OF right and forsaking the counterfeit
II at this period OF her experience
that the great spiritual light daWned upOn
her consciousness. and found her waiting
and prepared to receive the message The
circumstance which brought this spiritual
awakening and thereby esta blished her con
clusions her remarkable recovery IN
the year 1875 from an injury caused by an
accident. She seeking % console ner
suffering sense by reading pasSs freu
the Scriptures. when she caught the depth
Of its spiritual import and Nas instantly
healed This was the yindicaflon os mar