The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-06-24

evening to hear the lecture by Bliss
Knapp, c. S. b., member of the
Board of Lectureship of the Mother
Church, The First Church of Christ,
Scientist, in Boston. Mass
The lecturer was introduced by Mrs
Ranney Scott, who said:
Friends: / am very happy to well
come you here this evening on behalf
of First Church of Christ, Scientist,
in Honolulu. The church is pleased
to have this opportunity to offer you
a lecture on Christian Science by one
who is authorized to speak on the
subject as the lecturer this evening
is. Christian Science is so widely
discussed today, and one hears so
many opinions expressed about IT.,
that most people are interested to
hear what someone has to say who
knows from actual experience what
Christian Science is and what it does.
The aim of the lecture is not to prose
Iyte or to take from any one here
any really good or helpful thing he
may have. Thousands of people the
world over have been helped out of
sickness and sin by the teaching OF
this new-old religion and most of them
are ready to give the reason for the
faith that is in them. They are happy
to share what has done them good
with all those who wish to share Vt.
THE Mother Church in Boston
maintains a board of lectureship,
whose work 1t is, through the lee
lures Of its members, to give the
public a clear idea what the teach
ings of Christian Science are and to
give facts concerning Mrs. Eddy's life
and work 1t gives me pleasure to In
troduce to you the lecturer of the
evening, Mr.. Bliss Knapp, G. s. B.,
who is a member of the Board Of
I1ectureship of the Mother Church,
The First Crurch of Christ, Scientist
in Boston, Mass"
The lecturer said:
The wonderful power that character
lied the life and works of Christ Jesus
was in no more need of champions than
the force Of gravitation. The one, ike
the other, is ever operative and must
he understood before it can be utilized.
People embrace Christianity not so
much to help it a ong, as to be helped.
Suffering humanity has a right to be
helped of God, and all men have an
equal right to the healing and saving
power that graced the teachings OF
Christ Jesus. 1t has been the mis-
sion of Christian Science to present
these teachings in such comprehensive
simplicity as to restore their lost ele-
ment Of healing. Its religious ethics
are generally approved, not only be-
cause they conform to the teachings OF
Jesus, but because they inspire an
optimism that has made a vast con-
tribution to hope, brightness, and hu'
man happiness. The one thing, how
ever, that is most criticised ana the
one thing that is most responsible for
the tremendous growth of this move
ment. is the healing of the sick
through prayer. Healing as we'll as
preaching was a part OF the disciples
duty in the early times, and continued
to be so for three hundred years of
the Christian era, or until Constantine
wrought a change. But neither Con
stantine nor any one else ever had a
right to absolve Christians from this
duty. BY resuming that long neglect
ed duty, Christian Science has exhibit
ed such divine impulsion as to make
of it a world religion in a remarkably
short time. This should lead us to
consider, in so far as one may, the
healing forces th"t are behind this
movement.
1t is recorded that Jesus could do
nothing of himself, but what he seeth
the Father do" The ability of this
gentle Nazarene to obliterate disease
and sin was, therefore, the result OF
what he knew about God, and surely
he knew more about God than any
other man who ever troG the globe
The ability of his disciples to perpet'
uate Christian healing was also the
result of what Jesus taught them about
God Even so, the ability of Chris
tian Scientist to heal the sick and sin
ming through prayer is wholly due to
better understanding of God, who is
the divine Principe of mans exist
ence. This is in agreement with the
Scriptural command to "Acquaint now
thyself with him, and be at peace
How then shall we gain the divine
acquaintance that sets us free from
mental and physical disturbance?