Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-13
SHRINE AUDITORIUM THRONGED TO
HEAR CHRISTIAN SCIENCE TALK
This Is the Age of Practical Achievement, Speaker
Says to Concourse of His FollowerS-Predicts
New Marvels in Working Out of the
Wonders of Modern Thought

- Jefferson street yesterday after
noon and listened to u schoiarly ad-
dress on christian Science; Religion
of Progress" delivered by William d.
McCrackan, NJ. A., c. S. b. His ad-
dress was as follows:
The message of Christian Science is
simple and straightforward and re-
spends to a universal need. 1t is not
easily treated as an academic theme'
nor it is, strictly speaking, debat-
able question, because ii provides the
proofs of it's own correctness, day by
day and hour by hour, and these proofs
are final and convincing. CHRISTIAN
Science does more than preach or
promise it fulfills. While 1t arouses
the noblest aspirations and eXpecta-
tions of mankind, it also JustlheS its
teachings by definite results. Like
the good Samaritan, it comes TO those
who have fallen among thieves, Whonh
false concepts have robbed OF health
and happiness, whom material meth
ods have passed by on the othef sIde,
and pours into their wounds the OIL
and wine of gladness and inspiration,
takes them to the inn OF shelter' ana
leaves with them the coin of priceless
->aI,,o which will insure their complete
recovery and, in time, thelr corhplele
salvation.
Religion Of Progress
This is an age of practical achieve
ment. and Christian Science is in thor
ough accord with the demand mace
for proofs. 1t lives and grows IN
favor with the needy of the eartn py
reason of its fruits. Christian sclehce
makes no claim which 1t cannot sup
stantiate, and SO. in this DAY OF a au-
vance in every department OF human
oo+;S,itv ,t is demonstrating its right
20 he known as the religion of prog
ress. ,,..i.,,+es the
basis foundation and principle OF an
true religion, ever changes OF Ploe
crosses: not that the teachilSs VI
Jesus the Christ, the toundeI Oh ~
fianitv. need to be revised or tIle
p;hIe rapvritten. We read in the scrip
tures that with God there is neltIlet
1,oria bIeness nor shadow OF turlllHS,
,,,a also believe that the precepts anu
warnings of Jesus can never SOiiiS it,
antiouated and that the Blpie OIL out
fathers, the great treasure nouSe
Christendom, when sPlIltua,'S s,,f5cas
nreted by Christian Science; sumo
For orr daily needs. The threau on
gold which CLEANS Throughout ~, .
ssetr,o of the Bible will shine forth
forever to be apprehended py the
centive thought everywhere 80 ~ -
NOT a new Bible when CIlIlS .s S'.Ir ~
Science contemplates' put one ai!u ti,oii,, liz
81
se,.nIr,assi,1e manner 1t is not new
God which it proclaims but the ohiy
go cod our Father which Is III
1,eayen IT makes no attempt at an
i,nnroved Christ, for there Is uue -
christ. who is in the bosom ol une
Father. perfect, eternal ana -,,.ossi,a Iilueae.
ttt,ia Christian Science is progressive
~ orlrs an advance in religion pc
oanse If throws the strong lignt Vi
Soiance upon the nature and attrlputes
e nait,, 1lnon the teachings anu "oihs
20 tta CHRIST and because II nlahes
oieor and embassies the essentlal, NJ
nerishabIe import of the Blple spii''
ual message. ,,,,o,, mankind
.o,. a frank and fearless revision Oh
bis oUn beliefs about the unchaIgiIis
cd His man and His universe rms
&c which is not afraid to hy IN lnS
FACE Of the sun on filmy wings Is ash.u
80 disnlav the necessary courage "
mass in review the things Whlch pTt
tain 10 its own salvation from laIse
GODS. Why should not rlgnt anu Jus
IJiews concerning God ana ms ut
,,orse he capable of more precise stale-
ITO Vvbv should It be thought
thing unrea sonable with any one tual
c,od can become better UNDERSTOOD oS
tho average man than has been the
80 IN tI,e past2 Why should not lhe
understanding of how to grow In grace,
how to deepen and broaden one
spiritual concepts, progress accortins
to law? And why should not u!l9
knowledge concerning the louilta.,i ns ~,
head of all knowledge, the GlNer OF an
COOL Gifts the absolute eternal Prln-
cinIe Of all life, in whom we live, ana
,,ove. and have our being-why should
NOT this knowledge constitute demon
strable Science? -, =.
Christian Scientists believe that II
does: that Jesus pointed out the only
true. final and real knowledge "hen
ba said "And this is life eternal, that
they might know thee the on.y .,5 Irue
God, and Jesus Christ, Whom thou
hast sent"
Physical hypothesis
Consider the shifting nature OF
what is termed physical science-the
bynotbetical knowledge dealing with
tbe physical universe. From age to
pe il has changed i'm accordance with
+be temporary beliefs Of mankind,
ATanv of the commonly accepted theo-
ries OF the past concerning astronomy,
geology, geography, mineralosy DOT
any. chemistry physics, etc' seem
ridiculous to modern men, even IAN
tastical, and in some instances dan
gerous. .,.,,,
the time when men believed the earth
to be fiat and the habitable portion
of il was supposed TO stop at the I'll
lars of Hercules, or Gibraltar. Inc
theories of the past in regard TO the
nature of matter. in our age cullnl-
mated in the atomic theory, and thls
theory seemed to give satisfaction Tor
awhile, but today it is being trans
formed out Of all recognition by new
.,,e;o,, which tries 10 cXDlain matter, J
IN its ultimate subdivision, as energy. !
Ard vet it is obvious that even this !
amended atomic theory will not satisfy /
human speculation. So long as the |
supposed final subdivision Of matter
is claimed to be something, ii must
he considered as capable Of further
subdivision. Only when matter mas |
been reduced to final nothingness, to
q mere name for a false concept. will /
the atomic theory rest from its Ia bors
and sink into the realm of oblivion.
In the meantime amid these ileeting |
hvpotheses and theories, God remains |
over the same, from age 90 age, |
eternity His man, made |
an His image and likeness, expresses !
the divine nature, and the true uni |
verse of ideas exists unaffected by hu- |
man opinion. 1t is the province of all |
true religion to bring man nearer to /
God, TO acquaint him with his Maker /
and Christian Science places God at /
the foundation of its whole structure |
la ses every argument upon Him. and /
derives from Him its only strength /
and sustenance. Every thinking man |
fnds himself, sooner or later, face t. !
face with the all important and all ab- /
yorbing question. What is God?
In summarizing the teaching Of |
christian Science for the student. Mrs |
4. -s.E