Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1913-05-20
A LECTURE ON
Christian Science
By Virgil o. Stickler, c. S.
Member OF the Board of Lectureship
The Mother Church, The First Church
of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Mass.

OF Ihrist, Scientist, in Boston, Mass
A lecture was delivered in the Uni
versalist church, on Thursday even
/ ing, by Virgil o. Strickler, C. s., of
New York. The lecturer was intro
duced by 2. w. Sawyer, member of
the local church. Mr.. Stricken said
in part:
However much people may differ in
their attitude towards Christian
Science every one will admit that it
has done many good things. Entirely
apart from the question of physical
healing, it is generally conceded that
it produces happy and contented
mentality, that it destroys fear, and
makes people loving and kind.
When we add to this the fact that
it has healed many sick people who
had previously been unable to find
relief under other systems, that it has
cured many of the drug habit, and of
the liquor habit, has restored harmony
in many homes that were discordant,
and has given hope and courage to
people who were discouraged, it is
easy TO understand why Christian
Science has spread from one end of
the earth to the other with such
wonderful rapidity.
Why should any one not wish to be-
l linu l,af GnI le, cio Te -
not thing to be desired and is it not
something for which humanity has
been praying through the centuries?
Now that it is here wky should any
one not wish to accept it? Let each
one ask himself thai question.
Christian Science shows that sick
ness and sin originate in mortal mind,
and result from the opera tion of this
so-called mind. God did not create
them, nor do they result from the
operation of spiritual law. In des-
troying them Jesus did not work
contrary to Gods laws. Christian
Science insists that Jesus was con-
Father at one time, and at another
seek to oyerturn His laws 1t follows,
then, that if Jesus performed his
works in accordance with, and by
means of, Gods laws, the same results
must follow in every age whenever
those laws are understood and applied. |
Moses and the prophets, and Jesus
and his disciples and followers, healed |
the sick, raised the dead, and per-
formed many wonderful works by
means of this power; and in every
age the result of the operation of
spiritual law in human consciousness
has been to destroy discord and to es-
tablish peace.
WHAT is CHRISTIAN SCIENCE? !?
Christian Science is a religion 1t |
is the Science of Christianity-the |
science of God and man. 1t reveals |
spiritual law, and explains the opera
tion of that law in its relation to man |
and the universe 1t defines mortal |
mind and immortal Mind, and so
makes plain the difference between
mortal men and man made by God in
His image and likeness.
Christian Science pleads for ration
al understanding of God in place Of
mere belief about Him, and it is urg-
ing mankind to look for the real eau
sation in Mind and not in matter. 1t
declares that God is not the author
of sin, sickness, or death, hence these
conditions are illegitimate and can
be destroyed by knowledge of the
truth. 1t denies that there is any
divine authority for man to sin,
suffer, 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
dominion at all, that .the knowledge
of the truth will set him free from
his bondage to sin, suffering, sorrow,
and failure, and will give to him that
dominion which God said in the be-
ginning belonged to man.
A correct understanding of God,
therefore, is necessary as the founda-
tion of religion. Any system of re-
ligious teaching that is founded upon
an imperfect or an erroneous concep-
tion 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 fair deduction that
there is something wrong about their
understanding of God.
The prophet Micah said mans
enemies are they of his own house
hold, and Jesus repeated the state |
l. ltSC0 " unAC1>Odilu li1CAA |
meaning to be that mans enemies
were his own kin, but | now realize |
that 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-loye and all evil qualities of |
thought are enemies that bind man
TO sickness and death, and man viii
never gain his freedom until he drives
out these enemies and makes his
consciousness the temple of God
We are told in Christian Science
that fear is an ingredient Of every
disease, and if fear were entirely des-
sroyeo large number of diseases
would re with it. five could imagine
this world with all hated. fear, super