Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-29
SCORES SPIRITUALlSM
AND DIVINE HEALING
DR.. LOCKE CALLS FORMER
BUNCO GAME
Answers from Pulpit Questions on
Liquor Traffic, Selling Tickets on
Sunday and other Social
Problems

Sunday and other Social
Problems
At the First Methodist Episcopal
church last evening DR.. Charles Ed
ward Locke preached on IF Christ
should come to Los Angeles what per-
sonal requests would we make OF him
and what questions would we ask
him?" DIR. Locke, after a short sermon,
took up many questions which had
been sent to him and answered them.
Among them were the following:
viii you state your opinion of Spir-
itualsm?" 1t is the most colossal fake
foisted upon a long suffering public.
There is not a single demonstration
used by Spiritualists to prove their SUI
pernatural claims that cannot be re-
produced by skillful exposers or the
fraudulent claims of these impostors.
Some of these days these deceiVers
who exploit their innocent victims Will
be suppressed by law for carrying on
bunco game.
Can we live without sin?" Every
person should strive to live without in
tentionally disobeying the laws of God,
just as every patriotic citizen endeav-
ors so to conduct his life as not to
break the laws of his country.
IL II TlB0l IOr pSOplC ~
patronize a grocery or department
store which sells liquors?" Emphati-
cally it is not right! This is one of
the most insidious forms of the evils
OF the liquor traffic. Liquors can be
ordered by phone and delivered with
other goods in most respectable man
ner. The deadly serpent thus enters
the sacred domain of the home. No
doubt this is a reason for much of the
lfin n homes.
What is the best rule by which to
decide the right or wrong of any act?'
Consult the ideals and leadings of your
own conscientious inner nature; then
ask whether the act would be help
or hindrance to others; then further
imagine what the effect would be II
all persons followed the course you
are thinking of pursuing. What is
right for one ought not to be wrong
for another. Pray devoutly to be able
to see and do your duty, and do not
despise self-denial.
"Why do we have creeds?" AS you
know the word is derived from the
Latin "credo,' 1 believe. All persons
of sound mind believe something.
the Christian religion he will believe
something, and whatever he believes
will be his "creed."
1NO SuHOdy 0CihiiS
Should tickets be sold about the
church on Sunday for entertainments
to be given through the week?' I'm
der no circumstances should there be
any merchandising on Sunday.
When California gets it's Sunday law
it will close a large number of the
stores which now carry on business
the first day of the week.
Are we to expect the coming of
Christ before or after the millennium? q
1 do not know. / wish I could be sure
of everything pertaining to the sec.
ond coming of Christ. Christ himself
said. "Of that day and hour knoweth
no man." This great secret is hidden
from us, and it is our business to work
Zealously for the salvation of mankind
from sin. Christ wants to come tbs
first time into the hearts of multitudes
who do not now know him. 1t is the
First Coming which should be our
greatest care. Christ will look after
his own Second Coming"
"What does the Holy Catholic
Church mean in the Apostles Greed =
1t means the one universal church of
Christ, of which the great Protestant
church, the Greek Catholic church, the
Roman Catholic church and all other
branches of the Christian church are a
part.
''Why is your church called the
Methodist Episcopal church," Epis-
copal indicates our form of church
government with bishops. etc, while
the term Methodist was in the begin
ming applied to John Wesley and his
little group of devout followers, as an
opprobrious title to disparage the re-
ilgious and methodical habits of these
earnest young men.
Does God know everything that is
going to happen in our lives and how
they are going to turn out?" Mani
testify there can be no limitation on
the knowledge of an omniscient being,
but Gods knowledge beforehand of
things that will occur does not COM
rel the happening of those events. Men
can see the past, but God can see both
the past and the future.
Upon what does the success of a
young man most largely depend?'
This is a great question and | will de-
vote a sermon some time to this i'm
would answer briefly, on his fidelity.
Fidelity is life! Whether he has one
talent or five, if man is faithful, men
around him will trust him and he will
prosper and God, at least, will say
to him. "Well done, thou good and
faithful servant"
What of the Emmanuel Divine
movement IlOW 81 POPuidi
don't think much of it. Like Christian
Science, whatever is good in it is old,
and whatever is new in it is good for
nothing. About four-fifths of the peo-
pie who are i'll have imaginary all
ments No doubt Mrs Eddy and DR..
Worcester will achieve eminent cures
among these classes. When you get
anything seriously the matter with
you pray earnestly to God to make
you we'll. While YOU are praving send
a messenger for the most skillful ply
stefan available. Take your medicine
as prescribed, like hero, and continue
your prayer for speedy recovery. and
when your pastor calls at the house
do not allow some materialistic doctor
into, your room and kneeling at your
bedside and quietly and confidently Of
fering a prayer to God in your be-
half. There are many people who would
get we'll if well-meaning but mistakes
doctors would permit the soothing and
cheering presence of a common-sense