The Greeley tribune., 1908-05-07
On Christian Science
b'ckne!l Young of Boston Delivers Scholarly
Lecture in Greeley Opera House

cllles ana roads and railroads are
all built because OF thought; that all
the conveniences which surround us
exist because OF thought; that the
DOCKS which we read, including both
he low and high forms of literature,
all prose, poetry. and fiction. exist be-
cause of thought: that the music
which we love is composed because OF
thought and the Instruments upon
which is is performed are made because
OF thought: and even the human voice
Itself. said to be the most perfect Of
all instruments. is but the response to
the artistic mental call of the singer
Not only this, but history and ex-
, perence both show that evil thought
tends to manifest itself after its kind
also. Differences of opinion in bust
ness or in relation to politics, govern
ment, science, and art are manifest
ed as hatred, malice. jealousy, envy,
and revenge. all producing untold mis-
cry for mankind. Even the Gospel of
the Prince of Peace has often been so
misunderstood that various factions
have sprung up in its name, and, be-
cause of differences of thought and
opinion, have involved the race in mis-
cry and war. sometimes desolating the
civilized world
In view of the fact that thought is
doing everything which we know
about, 1t should not seem strange
that it is also doing a great many
things which we do rot know about.
Cnquestionably thought is always pro-
ducing some results, and any person
can see that the results must be like
the thought. Remembering this, it
behooves all who desire to achieve
good. either for themselves or others,
TO learn of the power of righteous
thought. One who approaches the
subject of Christian Science in this
way will find that he is assuming the
right mental attitude toward it. He
can recall moments when, occupied in
the contemplation of some artistic
work or perhaps. listening to music,
or when engaged in the solution of
some intricate problem IN mathematics.
he has entirely forgotten material OBJ
iects and surroundings. These in
stances show that it is possible to
have experiences which are purely
mental, and one can therefore conceive
of method which is purely metaphy
steal. Unquestionably the standard of
right thought and right thinking must
be that which is eternally right No
| lesser standard would be sufficient or
adequate. Such criterion as that
can only be obtained through right
ideas concerning God the first great
Cause and Creator. That such Cause
and Creator exists all people today
admit, whether they call themselves
religious or otherwise
Not only is this true but every
reasoning being must also admit that
God acts and operates exactly un-
failiDgly, lawfully. That which is
| Supremely and serenely scientific
could not well be defined more tersely
| han by these words-eXact. unfail-
ing. lawful. Generally speaking, re-
ligion has been supposed to refer to
belief in God. and science to material
laws and material phenomena. In
Christian Science, by means of un-
answerable logic. the true relationship
of religion and science is decerned
unquestionably the highest meaning
that can be given to the word science
is that il primarily relates to Truth
or God Himself and to his unaterabe
law. Religion is thus taken from the
realm of belief and becomes exact in
its basis and teaching. and science
takes on the hues of divinity.
BASIS OF CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
PRACTICE-That human thought has
not always been correct in founda-
tion is self evident when we remem
| Der that there are many contradictory
opinions and beliefs concerning God
some of them unreasonable and even
grotesque. If the right idea is to be
gained. wrong beliefs must be put
aside. Christian Science gives defini-
tions of God which are found to be
universally acceptable and satisfying
to human reason. 1t declares that
God. as Cause and Creator, must be
infinite Intelligence. and 1t makes this
| fact clear to us and available through
the use of the word Mind as syno-
nym for the word God. 1t declares
that God is mind and that Mind is
God. II never confuses the use of the
word Mind in this relationship. how
ever with what is ordinarily called
mortal's mind suppos edly depend
ant upon matter or brain for intelli-
/ gence. but on the contrary. uses ii
| always in the divine sense The |
thought of God as humanity personal
has made His omnipresence seem I'M |
possible. but when we understand that |
He is Mind. His omnipresence is ma
tural, reasonable. and real to us In |
fact, it is clear that this constitutes |
The actuality of all true existence.
Christian Science therefore, in this |
process of correcting human beliefs |
and opinions. and giving scientific
basis for religion, takes away the old
personal thought concerning God and
establishes a better one. Suppose one
who thinks that God is personal in the
same sense that human beings are
should possess the skill to depict his
thought upon canvass or paper, and
were to do so. And then suppose he
were to kneel down and pray to that
picture. The act would seem absurd
TO every one who might behold it, The
comment would be. "Why, what Is the
use of doing that? That picture isn't
Cod IL can't answer nrnNer nor do