Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1914-03-17
A LECTURE
Christian Science
By William R. Rathvon, C.S.B.
Member of the Board of Lectureship
of The First Church of Christ,
Scientist, of Boston, Mass.

Mr.. William R. Rathyon, C. S. b.,
of Denver, Colo. a member of the
Board of Lectureship of The Mother
Church, The First Church. of Christ,
Scientist, in Boston, Mass, delivered
lecture on Christian Science at the
Uniyersalist church last THURSDAY
evening. The lecture was given under
the auspices of First Church of Christ.
Scientist, of this city. 1t was well
attended and was listened to with
deep interest. The lecturer was
introduced by Mr. p w. Sawyer. We
quote the lecture as follows:
The intelligent study of any science
should proceed by the orderly use ofits
textbooks. It's laws and its state
ments thus learned are to be proved
in the class room, in the laboratory,
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 and demon
strated in all the various avenues and
activities of everyday life, wherever
man mingles with man or his inter-
ests teach those of his fellows.
BESIDES THE BIBLE
Christian Science has but one text
book, Science and Health with Key
to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker
Eddy. 1t is not book to be quickly
read or hastily thumbed over as one
would shallow novel Nor is it to
be approached with bias or prejudice
if one would share its riches; but it's
truths may be proved and in turn
impaired 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 sinner 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 unfriendly hands
in search of phrases to wrench from
their context and with which to
smite men of straw, yet neither force
nor deceit, the laundering of the
bear or the cunning of the fox can
avail to divert or suppress its tidings
of comfort snd joy.
1t has been asserted that Christian
Scientists place their textbook above
the Bible as the guide to righteous
ness. No one can honestly make this
allegation who has read the book
carefully, for on page 497 of Science
and Health are printed these words,
the first of series of tenets of our
religion:
''As adherents of Truth we take
the inspired Word of the Bible as our
sufficient guide to eternal Life"
What more emphatic and explicit
negation of such charge could be
demanded?
The truths of Christian Science do
not originate in the book Science and
Health. They find expression there
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 this 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 be-
fore? The answer is, NO On the
other hand Science and Health har-
monies many seeing incongruities in
the Bible which have long perplexed
layman and theologian: it explains
apparent contradictions; it discloses
unexpected richess; it gives new sig
nificance to favorite passages, and
brings neglected ones into favor
The study and application of its
teachings by those who have had little
or no familiarity with the Scriptures
has made them Bible students and
Bible lovers. The one time atheist,
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 gentle woman 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 estab-
lish salvation; not to eenfound
materia medica, but to simplify heal
ing; not TO condemn the sinner, but
TO turn him away from his wicked
ness, 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 contains
hoO ohC thtCots nv oliS NOFu oi u6-
famation, detraction or villihcation
of any mans medicine or any mans
religion. Its pages TEEN with love
for God and man.
No man can read it with an open
heart, and not be a better man for
the reading: no sorrowing one need
miss its message of comfort; none tor
tured by pain or enfeeblad by disease
need close it in despair The simple
may gather from it wisdom: the wise
may gain from it simplicity.
IL was written in solitude by a
woman whose spiritual hearing was
AGATE enough to catch the words that
God has been speaking aloud TO dull |