The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-09-30
Full Text of RathVOn'S
Lecture on Christian
Science Yesterday

The following lecture on Christian
> Science was delivered in the First
Church of Christ. Scientist. in this
Il. Rathvor. {. s. Is. member OF the
board Of l%ectureship of the Firs'
Church of Christ. Scientist. Of Sos.
tor Mass:
The intelligent study OF any science
should proceed by the orderly use vi
its textbooks. Its laws and its
statements thus learned are to be
proved in the class room. in the lab
oratory. or in the field. as the case
may be.
Christian Science. universal in its
usefulness and in its availability is
likewise TO be learned from its text
book and then proved II demon
strated in all the various venue and
activities OF everyday life. wherever
man mingles with man or his interests
teach those OF his fellows.
BESIDES THE BIBLE.
Christian Science has but II text
book. science and Health with Key
to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker
Eddy. 1t is not a book To be quickly
read or hastily thumbled oNer as one
would Il shallow novel. MOI is il to
be approached with bias n p%rejuaicts
if one would share its riches: but its
truths may be proved Inc in turn i'm
parted by child or sage who turns its
leaves with an open mind. Only the
open flower it is that catches the dew
and yields its honey to the bee.
Saint and slime meet on common
ground. in the pages Of this remark.
able book and though it starts all
alike at the bottom of the ladder it
always lifts up and never drags down.
Time and again its covers have been
rudely torn open by u%ntriendly hands
in search of phrases to wrench from
their context and With which to smite
deceit. the laundering OF the hear
or the cunning OF the fox can avail
to divert or suppress its tidings or
comfort and JOY.
1t has been asserted that Christian
Scientists place their textbook above
the Bible as the guide to righteous
ness. No n can honestly make this
carefully. for on page 497 of Science
and Health are printed these words.
the first of a series of tenets of our
religion:
LAS adherents OF Truth We take the
inspired Word OF the Bible as our
sufficient guide to eternal Life"
What more emphatic and explicit
VI SUCH Il SlldIEe COulu De
demanded?
The truths of Christian Science do
not originate in the book Science and
Health. They find expression .ther.
but their origin is in God. They
have always existed and will forever
exist. What effect. then. it may be
asked, does the study OF his book
have upon those who have previously
been Bible students: Does it sup
plant the Bible in their reverence
and admiration? Is the Book of books
less precious to them than beforeo
The answer is. No" On the other
hand Science and Health harmonizes
many seeming incongruities in the
Bible which have long perplexed lay
men and t%heologian: it explains ap-
parent contradictions. it discloses UNI
expected riches; it gives new signi-
lcance to faNorite passages. and brings
neglected ones into favor.
The study and application of its
teachings by those who have had lit
tie or no familiarity with the Scrip
lures has made them Bible students
list. the scoffer and the blasphemer
are finding the Gospel a treasure
house OF joy and consolation whose
untried doors had been barred against
them until unlocked by the Key
forged by the hands Of a gentle wom-
an who loved all mankind. No other
book in modern times has made so
many Bible readers.
The textbook Of Christian Science
was given to the world not to exploit
a theory, but to relate a discovery.
not to upset religions. but to establish
salvation: not to confound materia
medica. but to simplify healing: not
TO condemn the sinner. but to turn
him away from his wickedness, that
he might live.
1t comes bringing liberty. not bond.
age; liberation. not bigotry; it tells
little of hell. but much Of God and
love. From cover to cover it con-
tains not one threat; not one word
OF defamation. d%etraction or villiica.
ton Of any mans medicine or any
mans religion. Its pages TEEN with
love for God INT man.
No man a read It With an open
heart. and not be a better man for
the reading; no sorrowing n need
miss its message of comfort; none
tortured by pain or enfeebled by dis
ease need close it in despair. The
simple may gather from it wisdom.
the wise may gain from it simplicity.
woma whose spiritual hearing was
acute enough to catch the words that
God has been speaking aloud to dull
cared mankind ever since time be-
gan. The message that rang in her
ears was not for her alone. but for
all her fellow men. living and to live.
and she could no more smother it
into silence than h trees can kno:
their eager leaves when they have
the message Of spring to unfold.
Emerson says in his essay on
Character" There was A time when
Christianity existed in one child,' and
1t can be likewise said that there was
a time when Christian Science existed
in n devoted But she was
faithful to her trust, and before CIV
ing her discovery to the world h
tested 1t critically. She became a
Christian Science practitioner, the
only one in all the world, and put her
Science to the touchstone of healing
the sick, 1t showed as pure gold.
Then followed the writing of her
book. Science and Health with Key
to the Scriptures giving the SUBJ
stance Of her discovery to the public
in concrete and understandable form.
Men may differ in their UNDER
standing of inspiration and revelation
and may haggle over their being
present day possibilities. They may
even deny to woman the spiritual
perception acceded to man. but Meth
er wrangling o .disputations nor
denials have Eel brought to poor
fragrance of gratitude. The book,
Science and Health. has done both in
gracious %profusion.
1t has fallen to my lot to have
known its author Intimately in the
last few years Of her earthly activity.
One November day in 1908, Mrs. Eddy
called me to her side from my home