The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-06-08
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
EXPLAINED
Reasons for Remark
able Growth
Primitive Healing of Orthodox
Church Restored to Long Suffer
ing Humanity.

BLISS hndpps ~ - II. Vi AJOolOiiS
member of the Board OF Lectureship
Of the First Church of Christ Sci
enlist spoke to a good sized audi
enee in the Opera house Friday night.
After telling of the spread of Chris
tan Science to all parts of the globe
within the past twenty-five years he
sion was not due to any missionary
zeal but to the fact that suffering
humanity had reached forth for that
which it craved. Through the read
ing of the denominational text book
afflicted ones had come into an IN
derstanding of the Divine Principle,
resulting in remarkable cures. Mr.
Knapp said:
Ii is generally conceded that Chris
tian Science has given a tremendous
impulse to higher standards of con-
duct in daily life. Its ethics or rules
of conduct are generally approved
and its optimism has made vast
contribution to hope, brightness and
human happiness. The one thing in
its teachings that is most criticised
and the one thing that is most re-
sponsible for the tremendous spread
of this movement, is the healing of
the sick through prayer. Christian
Science has restored to its rightful
place and authority that pearl of
Jesus commands, Heal the SICK
and those who embrace its teach
ings are first impressed, as a rule
by the joy and comfort promised to
the sick and the sorrowing. Then
it is learned that the ability of a
Christian Scientist to heal the sick
and SHINING is wholly due to bet
ter understanding of God the divine
Principle of man. This is in accord
with the Scriptural command to "Ac-
quaint now thyself with Him, and be
at peace
HOW MEN ACQUAINT THEMSELV-
ES WITH GOD.
An American educator recently
undertook to learn how much people
really know about Cod and among
other things he asked some college
students to state what difference, if
any, the non existence of God would
uldhC III lllCll ddilJ lliC' llC quCo-
ton elected the information that,
although not one of the students
questioned the actual existence of a
Supreme Being, some preferred to
believe that their ignorance of God
would make no difference in their
lives. Others admitted that it would
make a difference, without knowing
what that difference might be. This
al a4f
agnosticism, a word which first came
into use in the year 1869, when it
was suggested to Professor Huxley
by st. Paul's reference to THE I'm
known Cod" When Paul recognized
how the cultured Athenians were
unable either to see or to acquaint
themselves with the divine nature,
he uttered those memorable words.
Whom therefore ye ignorantly wor-
ship. him declare | unto you;' add
ing by the way of explanation that
'in him we live, and move, and have
our being" Those who have sought
long and in vain to find the origin
Of life in protoplasm find a strong
rebuke in these words of Paul. If
we have our life, and our being, and
our action in God, how can it be
make no difference in ones life? No
one can save his life until he knows
first what life is; and to learn that,
he must first know what God is. In
deed, we can never know what actu-
ates our being without knowing God,
for we APE also His offspring" He
is the Principle of our existence.
One OF the earliest ways of gain
Ing that acquaintance was given by
Moses in the Ten Commandments. He
led people to think of the divine ma
ture as manifested through law.
ldoatrv, on the other hand, had its
origin i'll thinking of God as a FORM
When men undertook to fashion the
precise form of God, they invariably
lost sight of Him altogether. But as
divine Principle, manifesting His
power and intelligence through well
defined laws, He can be understood
In this way the divine nature is
actually recognized, and the exist
enee of God is seen to make a tre-
mendous difference in the proper
government of Christian nations, as
well as individuals. God communi
Gates His nature through His laws,
and, spiritually interpreted, they de-
nv anu ilCdlll W lICh III Allio
is life eternal, that they might know
thee, the only true God, and Jesus
ehflst, whom thou hast sent"
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus
explained how this law concerned his
mission. Think not that | am come
70 destroy the law, or the prophets:
am not cCTe to destroy. but to
.uini. Having said this, he under
took to teach this law, not so much
n'eiectually, as by a direct appeal
~ ones moral or spiritual nature.
No' mat Intellectual training should
ue dlsapproyed; for, on the contrary,
ult right sort of training is neces
gary 10 the proper conduct of every
ue! affairs. But Jesus teaching
SHOWS that the divine law must be
uu1n4gierstood through the spiritual fac
Slaes He recognized that one who
nas never enjoyed the advantages of
WI education may have a spiritual
rense as we'll developed, If not su-
p.'ior, to that of student Some
VI Ills disciples were humble fisher
eh' n,a' with no intellectual training.
p,ers ppuaers had well-trained intellects.
dou ue mat which made them fit stu
Senls van of the divine nature was a
s"ne'llii-deyeloped spiritual faculty, for
dsn.ual dd,.ual things must be spiritually