Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1911-11-11


mortal men and man made by God
in His image and likeness.
Christian Science pleads for a ra-
tional understanding of God In place
OF mere belief about Him, and 1t is
urging mankind to look for the real
causation in Mind and not in matter.
II declares that God is not the author
! Of sin, sickness, or death, hence these
conditions are illegitimate and can be
destroyed by a knowledge OF the
truth II denies that there is any
divine authority for man to sin, suf-
fer, or die, and recalls the solemn
declaration of the scripture that God
gave man as his birthright dominion
over all the earth and over all that IT
contained Jesus said, "Ye shall know
the truth, and the truth shall make
you free" Christian Science says to
the tired and suffering man who is
wandering about without any domin-
ion at ALL that the knowledge of the
truth will set him free from his bond
age to sin, suffering, sorrow, and
failure, and will give to him that do
minion which God said in the begin
ming belonged to man.
A correct understanding of God,
therefore, is necessary as the foun-
dation of religion. Any system of
religious teaching that Is founded up
on an imperfect or an erroneous con-
ception of God must necessarily fail
to bring to the believer the comfort
and help that he seeks. When we
look around and see the devotion and
fidelity of people to their religious
| beliefs, and then see how often they
fail to realize the benefits for which
they seek, it is a fair deduction that
there Is something wrong about their
understanding of God
The prophet Micah said a mans
enemies are they of his own house
hold, and Jesus repeated the state
ment. | used to understand their
meaning to be that mans enemies
were his own kin, but | now realize
that a mans enemies are they of his
own mental household The mental
guests or thoughts that we entertain
in our mental homes are either our
friends or our foes. Hatred, fear,
self-love and all evil qualities of
thought are enemies that bind man to
sickness and death, and man will
never gain his freedom until he drives
out these enemies and makes his con-
sciousness the temple of God.
We are told in Christian Science
that fear is an ingredient of every
disease, and If fear were entirely de-
stroyed a large number of diseases
would go with It, If we could imag-
inc this world with all hatred, fear,
superstition, self-will, and self-love
destroyed out of it, 1t is conceivable
that longevity would be increased and
that happiness and health would be
more secure.
If Christian Science had never
healed a case Of sickness it would
still be entitled to lasting praise for
compelling this age to recognize the
power and Influence of thought. Sol
omon declared three thousand years
ago that as a man "thinketh in his
heart, so Is he" In other words, the
quality of the man is determined by
the quality of his thought. It is there
fore of supreme Importance that man
should know the truth, to the end
that he may know how to think cor
rectly.
AS time goes on humanity exhibits
an ever decreasing interest in theories
about God that are not helpful and
practical. This tendency has been de-
plored by the churches as indicating
loss of interest in religion, but it
is not so. 1t indicates a tremendous
desire for a religion that is practical.
This Is an Age of Practical Things.
The demand for practical things
also demands religion that Is prac-
tical. People are no longer satisfied
with theories about what is to happen
pen In another world. What is de-
sired is a demonstrable religion that
saves from present troubles - from
sickness, and sin, and failure, and un-
happiness, and the countless ills of
everyday human experience-and IL
there Is religion that will do that,
1t can be safely trusted for the future.
Christian Science is essentially a
practical religion. 1t has been called
applied Christianity, There is the
same difference between Christian
Science and other systems that there
is between mathematics and engineer
ing, Mathematics does much good in
many ways, but 1t is not until the
rules of mathematics are applied to
human affairs that we see brought
out great bridges, railroads, subways,
lofty buildings, and other things that
are of public utility and which con-
tribute to the well-being of mankind.
So 1t is only when the teachings of
Jesus are understood and applied to
human affairs that we see the sick
healed, sinners liberated from bond
age to evil habits, and other practical
things done for the betterment of hui
manity.
Christian Science pleads for a ra-
tional understanding of God in place
OF mere belief about Him, and It is
urging mankind to look for the real
causation in Mind and not in matter
IL declares that God is not the author
OF sin, sickness or death, hence these
conditions are illegitlmate and can be
destroyed by knowledge of the
truth 1t denies that there is any di-
vine authority for man to sin, suffer
or die, and recalls the solemn declar-
alton of the Scripture that God gave
man as his birthright dominion over
all the earth and over all that 1t con-
tanned
AS time goes on humanity exhibits
an eyer-decreasing interest in theories
about God that are not helpful and
practical, This tendency has been
deplored by the churches as indicat-
ing q loss of interest I'm relipinn hut