The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-09-20
REV. ELDERKIN
ON SCIENTISTS

Rev. Noble Strong Elderkin. pastor
OF the Congregational church chose
for his regular Sunday evening "edi-
torial' which was read before his con
gregatlon last night Christian Sci
ence and the Social Crisis"
Mr.. Elderkin said that the churches
OF Utah are inclined to ignore the So
cial evils and argued that from a tes-
timonial meeting of the Christian Sci
ence church which he attended 10
Kansas City during the past summer,
that the religion did not have a ten
dency to reach out and save men and
women who have touched the depths.
but was more concerned In the health,
wealth and well-being Of its fashion
able members.
The editorial" follows:
On August is last l attended the
Wednesday evening service in the
large Second Church OF Christ, Scien-
tist. In Kansas Citl. There were be-
tween 1000 and $500 persons present
They were the cultured and cultivated
classes from the boulevards of the
fashionable south side They had
wealth. they knew little spiritually,
but abundance of material things.
suppose should rejoice tnat any form
of religion appealed TO them.
TeetFn,onaIs of Faith.
Sixteen testified that night to their
faith and their love of the faith.
Three of these were men. One spoke
of his wlfe's Illness and her subse-
ouent cure after the doctors had given
up hope, another OF the freedom that
had come 10 him through tho truth
Mrs. Eddy had discovered The last
man had been robbed of his taste Tor
LIQUOR and tobacco. A defective eye
sight had been corrected and now his
religion was attacking an aggravated
case OF deafness for him.
Thirteen women testified. One said
that during the hot spell she had not
noticed the heat | noticed that she
famed herself during the entire ser
vice One rojoiced that there was no
such thing as evil In the world, but
went on 10 say that she was needing
Pauls injunction to overcome evil
with good. ] frankly confess | did
not understand her argument Two
brought greetings from other Christian
Science churches. and eight testified
10 cures wrought upon themselves or
their intimate relatives One spoke
livery tenderly OF the peace Of God
which had overwhelmed her heart
since she had embraced Christian Sci
ence.
If | had heard such testimony In tho
Bowery mission the night I was there
] should have rejolced that 50 many
who had lost their grip on things
were getting hold of life once again.
Drt &C
Ctty's upper circle had no vision for
the great suffering world. The worlds
agony and pain and broken hope did
not concern them. Did you say they
were meGitatinG in tho fields at even
tide? Perhaps But Moses. near MI
dams well. alone. thinking upon the
worlds wrongs and injustice. finds era
long his soul atlame And Isaac. alone
In the happy Judean fields at the turn.
ing Of the evening, prays for the power
OF the burning heart. And Jesus. the
Master Of Life In the desert place,
alone beseeches his God for the
strength 10 brighten the eyes OF little
children and TO lift the UNDESIRABLE
burden from the shoulders OF weary
toilcrs-
But here none prayed that this re-
IlBlon VI meaning might ne carried 10
the West Bottoms, There was no
word of appeal FOR courage as earnest
men faced the problem of the other
half,
A Lone Incident
Once l travelled along Twenty-hfth
street with leading Christian Sci
enlist Here were all the institutions
which prey upon the Weaknesses OF
human life. And l snid: Mr.. Blank.
what IS the attitude of Christian Sci
ence toward the burning evils of our
day?" And he replied: Il really don't
know. l must wrlto to Boston and
0nd out"
Ogden Churches Unoonoerned.
| am not condomnlne. am soberlv
anxious. Can it he that this new OK
ponent Of Christ's teaching Is turning
Its back upon the soclal crisis? Tho
retreat OF the Protestant churches
protesting against nothing at all. A rer-
fumed Christianity can thrive at Fifth
avenue and Fifty-ninth street Here
III Ogden the churches-Morrnon
Catholic, Protestant-aTe apparently
ulconcerned with the approaching
orisis In the social world. Our selfish.
ness is pitiful to see
/ have heard men In our churches