St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1914-10-14
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

prayer In which gratitude is sup
planting entreaty, confidence is eX-
polling doubt, and perfect love is
casting out fear. 1t is laying at the
feet of God the hearts sincere de-
sire, uttered or unexpressed" and
then patiently listening for His Go
in peace" 1t is the prayer of rejoic-
ing, OF conquest, of humility, of I'M
selfish love.
Christian Science is giving to man
a broader comprehension and higher
appreciation of prayer, and is restor-
ing it to its rightful place in the di-
vine plan for mans redemption. 1t
is teaching men to pray, and to pray
Alright. Men pray too little, too sell
dom. The Scriptures direct us to
pray without ceasing.
Saint James tells US the prayer of
faith shall save the sick. What may
we not expect then of the prayer
wherein there is not only the album
dance of faith, but also of under
standing, wisdom, spiritual power,
and, above all, of love? Every Chris
tian Science treatmen built up of
these elements of righteousness heals
the sick and comforts the sorrowing.
The Open Door.
In a majority of cases, the man
who comes to Christian Science for
physical or mental healing does so
only after he has exhausted all other
promising methods of relief. The
lash of pain drives him to it, the fear
of death drags him to it. He comes
often reluctantly while protesting his
unbelief in that which he thinks he
will be expected to believe. But he
has learned of cases seemingly hope
less as his own that have been healed
in this strange way, and he has been
urged by his friends to try it. They
tell him that it cannot harm him and
that ii may heal, so, with an air of
mingled desperation, resignation, and
incredulity, he appears before the
practitioner with little hope and less
faith, and with a sense of surrender
that would be amusing if it were not
so nearly tragic.
But when he is assured that he will
not Immediately have to cast aside
the cherished beliefs of a lifetime;
that no more faith is required of him
than to follow a few simple direc-
tions about abstaining from other
methods of treatment; when he finds
he will not be urged forthwith to
throw into the mental scrap heap all
his prejudices and convictions, he
feels that a great load has been lift
ed from his shoulders and he awaits
what is to follow with more tolera-
ton and less of doubt. The bread
of life has been offered to him but
he may continue to eat husks as long
as he prefers them.
The wise practitioner knows, as
his patient does not, that the first
healing touch of divine Truth will do
more towards sweeping away these
mental distractions than hours of
admonition or pages of precept. So
his patient is silently treated, is 81
lently prayed for. That moment he
enters the portals of a new life where
there is peace of mind and health of
body, a life where there awaits him
the spirit of love and of power and
of a sound mind.
But not every one has to be so
dragged or spurred to the open door
of Christian Science. Some find it
easy to reach and easy to enter, for
they have been releasing themselves
for long time from the mistaken be-
liefs of earlier years and have been
unconsciously accepting many of the
doctrines of Christian Science.
The man who feels his own I'M
worthiness, his own unfitness to at
tain to a higher, better and more
spiritual life, has nothing to appre-
bend from Christian Science.
1t makes no distinctions, it impos-
es no restrictions, upon one man or
class of men more than upon anoth-
.er. The devout churchman, the
hardened sinner, the incredulous ag-
nostic, the degraded and depraved,
the sick and the well, alike are well
coined to all it offers.
No man ever finds it closed against
him because of his past record or
early misdeeds. Where there is an
live. in accord with this knowledge
there is always an open door waiting
in Christian Science.
1t does not parade a mans past
mistakes aud present failures before
his gaze or hang them like mill
stones about his neck.
1t does not peer into the closets of
any mans past, but opens wide the
door of present opportunity for do
ing good.
1t does not ask Of the beginner
how much wrong have you done in
the past, but how much of right are
you ready to do now. Not how
many mistakes have you made, but
howe earnest are you in resolving to
make no more.
Reformation.
Reformation in Christian Science
is reformation, being formed over.
1t is not an affair of words. 1t is
not a mere declaration of intent. 1t
is not only an aVowed purpose, but
continuous development. It is not
only laying down old tools, but TAX
ing up new ones. We are reformed
only when We are formed anew, re-
tanning all we ever had of the good,
and discarding that which is evil. 1t
is combined process OF elimination
and growth, which proceeds progress
sively and continuously. In this true
reformation we leave behind things
harmful, but take on things bene-
fetal Many men hold back because
they feel that in order to go forward
in Christian Science they must sacri-
fee too much. 1t is not merely sac
rifice that is expected, but growth.
The earnest beginner is not torn