The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-01-24
THE PRINCIPLES AND TEACHINGS Of THE
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCH PORTRAYED

O0U6UVS
The First Church of Christ, scien.
appreciattve audience last night to
hear the lecture of Bliss Knapp. c.
$. B.. Il member of the board of lee
tureship Of the Christian Science
church. Eloquencc and earnestncss
predominated In his delivery and the
principles and teachings of his faith
We're portrayed in simple though gra-
phtc words. He was introduced by
y. b. Black. His lecture in full fol-
lows:
knapp's Lecture.
The wonderful power that charsc-
terized the life and works of Christ
Jesus was in no more need of cham
pions than the force of gravitation.
The one, like the other, is ever oper-
II can be utilized. People embrace
Christianity not SO much I o help it
along. as TO be helped. Suffering hui
manity has a right to be helped of
God. and all men have an equal right
TO the healing and saving power that
graccd the teachings of Christ Jesus.
IT has been the mission Of Christian
Science to present these teachings in
such comprehensive simplicity as to
restore their lost clement OF healing.
Its religious ethics are generally APP
proved, not only because they con-
form to the teachings of Jesus, bA,
because they inspire an optimism that
has made a vast contribution to hope,
brightness and human happiness. The
onc thing. however, that is most criti-
cised and the n thing that is most
responsible for the tremendous growth
OF this movement. is the healing of the
SICK through prayer. Healing as we'll
as preaching was a part of the dis
ciples' 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 Constantine nor any one else
ever had a right to absolve Christians
from this duty. BY rcsuming that long
neglected duty. Christian Science has
exhibited such a divine impulsion as
to make OF it a world religion il a
remarkably short time. This should
lead us to consider. in so far as one
may, the healing forces that are be-
mind this movement.
IT is recorded that Jesus could do
nothing of himself. but what he seeth
the Father do" The ability of this
gentle Nazarine to obliteratc disease
sin was. therefore. the result of
what he knew about God. and surely
ne knew more about God than any
nan IL ever lIOu the ElODC.
The ability of his disciples to perpctu-
ate Christian healing was also the
result of what Jesus taught them
ABOUT God. Even so. the ability of a
christian Scientist to heal the sick and
SHINING through PRAYER is wholly due
TO a better understanding of God, who
Is the divine principle 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?
Divine Acquaintance.
One of the earliest WAYS Of gaining
an insight into the realm of God was
given by Moses in the Ten Command
ments. He led people to think of the
alvine nature as manifested not
through a form but through we'll de-
hned laws. 1dolatrv had its origin in
thinking of God as a form. When men
undertook to fashion what they might
conceive the precise form Of God to
De they became thereby idolators,
against which we have the second
commandment of the Decalogue. AS
a1F'ne principle manifesting His pow
er' intelligence. and loving kindness
through we'll defined laws. He can be
understood. In this way the divine
nature is actually recognized and the
existence of Christian nations, as we'll
as individuals. God communicates His
nature through His laws. and. spiritu-
ally interpreted. they define life and
nal, that they might know thee the
only r God. and Jesus Christ, whom
thou hast sent"
Jesus declared his relationship to
this same law in his sermon on the
mount; for there he said: Think no.
that am come to destroy the law. or
the prophets: l am not come to de-
stroy. but to fulfill" Having said
this, he undertook to teach this law,
n o so much intellectually. as by {:
direct appeal to ones moral or spirit
ual nature. Not that intellectual
training should be d%isapproved; for,
on the contrary. the right sort of
training is necessary to the proper
conduct Of every day affairs. But the
one thing of special Importance in
this connection is the fact that Jesus
addressed himself. not so much to the
lntellects of the disciples. as he did
to their spiritual faculties: to their
natural tenderness and spiritual as
plratlons. He recognized that one who
mas never enjoyed the advantages OF
an education may have a spiritual
ems as we'll developed. if not SUI
perior. to that of a student. Some
or his disciples We're humble fisher.
men. with no intellectual training.
Other had well-trained intellects. But
that which made them all fit students
of h divine nature was a well-de-
vcloped spiritual faculty, for spiritual
things must be spiritually discerned.
BY addressing himself to those facu1-
ties, Jesus conveyed to them the &C.
tual meaning or understanding of tho
divine law that communicates Gods
hcallng poWer to humanity. Herein
do we observe an understanding that
is wholly apart from the human in
tellcct-an understanding to which
Job referred. when he said. there is
Il spirit in man: and the inspiration
of the Almighty giveth them under
Standing 1t is this spiritual under.
standing of God. that We gain through
prayer to Him hat heals the sick in
every age.
Right Desires.
II an individual is made to believe
that he has no faculty for apprehend-
ing spiritual law. he is cheered in
Christian Science by the sweet assur-
ance that men are natively and inner
emily spiritual. They need to recog-
nize h latent forces Of good already
wicked man may know God and be
saved from his evil ways. This is not
q mere high sounding theory, for it
Is a familiar saying that no one is
wholly bad. for there must be at least
a spark of goodness in him. Suppose,
then. tina o address yourself to
some very wicked man and ask him
II he has ever experienced the desire
to be better and to do better: has he
really desired to be good? Few will
deny that there have beep periods