The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-24
VIRGIL 0. STR|CKLER
LECTURES At BUOU
Explains What Christian
Science Is
ITS PRIMARY PURPOSE
Says 1t Is Substitution of Spiritual
Truth in Place of Error and Not
the Healing of the Sick, as
Some Suppose
IT'S PRIMARY PURPOSE

Virgil o. strielsler. a member of the
board of lectureship of the First Church of
Christ, Scientist. of Boston, spoke yes
terday afternoon to an audience that filed
the two lower floors of the Bijou theatre.
Mr.. Strickler was warmly received and
held the attention of his audience through
out the lecture.
The lecturer was introduced by J. d.
Flenner, first reader of the First chutch
of Christ, Scientist, this city, in a few
well chosen words
After the lecture large quantity of
Christian Science literature was distrib-
uted the concourse accepting it freely.
Mr.. Strickler spoke in part as follows:
Mr.. Strickler's Lecture
"It is undeniable that Christian Science
has healed many sick people and has
brought about the regeneration of many
who were the victims of sin. Among its
membership are those who have been
healed of intemperance, of so-called
chronic and organic diseases, as well as
of maladies that were acute or functional.
1t has healed others of sorrow, fear,
unhappiness and similar diseased mental
conditions that often cause more suffer-
ing and distress than physical disorders.
I'm every case of Christian Science heal
ing, whether the disease was chronic or
acute, physical or mental. the cure was
brought about without the use of hypno-
tism, mental suggestions. drugs or any
material means. and entirely through the
application of the spiritual and meta
physical teachings of Christian Science.
THE healing of the Sick however, Is
not the primary purpose of Christian
Science. According to the teachings OF
this science all sickness and disease re-
suit from error and false belief. which
are summarized as sin, and when the
error of belief is destroyed by the truth
which Christian Science imparts. the dis
ease disappears. Christian Science, there
fore, teaches that the cause of all dis
ease and sin Is mental, and not physical,
and that both sin and disease may be
cured by one and the same metaphysical
process namely. by the substitution of
spiritual truth In place OF error and false
belief in the human consciousness.
1T is sometimes difficult for people to
understand how religion can heal sick
ness and destroy sin, but the words of
Jesus make it plain Since 1t is through
a knowledge of the truth that these re-
suits are accomplished the important
thing for each one is to gain an UNDER
standing of truth instead of being satis-
fled with Mere belief about it. In other
words. in order to find out how religion
can destroy sin, sickness and all sorts
of evil condition, it is first necessary to
gain an understanding as to what is re-
ligion. To gain the benefits promised in
the Bible to true believers it is neces-
sary to get rid of that which is erroneous
in religious belief and practice, and to
ascertain what constitutes true religion.
Touches on Belief
with respect to many things it may
be unimportant whether the thing be-
lieved is true or not. but with respect to,
the thing that people believe about God.
and about themselves. and about their
relationship to God, they are vital, be-
cause it will be shown that the things
believed with respect to these matters, be-
come laws that are binding upon the be-
lever.
Christian Science presents scientific
method for the destruction of evil. No
matter In what form 1t may present itself
to the individual. whether as sickness, sin,
unhappiness, sorrow or distress, Christian
Science says, that since 1t is evil, it
may be destroyed and that the destroyer
of evil in every case is faith precisely
as Jesus has declared. Wherever you
find a Christian Scientist, therefore, you
will find a person who is honestly striv-
ing to destroy evil out OF his or her ex-
perience by means of the scientific method
which Christian Science presents. While
1t may be true that no one, thus far, but
Jesus, has been able to make perfect
demonstration over evil, yet every one will
concede that Christian Scientists have at
least. made some progress. and have sue
ceeded, to some extent in destroying
both sickness and sin for themselves and
others.
christian Science teaches it's adherents
to make the prayer of realiza tion the
prayer of affirmation. Christian Science
teaches that God is infinite good. and that
1t is wholly unnecessary to beg or petition
infinite good, to manifest good to us, for
infinite good cannot do anything else ex-
cept manifest good to every creature. II
one should let fall an object it would be
absurd to beg or petition the law of gravi-
tation to operate. That law would oper-
ate automatically, and would pull the
object down to the first obstruction. Chris
ton Science teaches that God Is mind or
principle, and that mind governs through
spiritual law, which law is operating
throughout the entire universe. and is a
law of infinite good and IL manifesting
good and nothing but good ceaselessly to
every human being