The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-05-13

such nn extent that the whole world
Is styled Christcndom -Cbrist's King.
dom In countries like Great Britain.
Germany. Russia and Scandinavia. APP
proxlmaiely ninelytive per cent. OF the
population are rated as Christians,
even though some Of these are In pris-
on, some In insane asylums, and some
too young TO think at all or be any.
thing In Italy. everybody is rated a
Christian although amongst some OF
the Italians who come 10 our shores
flourish works OF the Devil, such as
the Black Hand, the Malta, etc.
5ewildered chris.endor.
Additionally, sincere class of
Christian people have, during the last
fifty years. been in great perplexity be
cause of the stupendous nonsense in
termingled with Truth which was
handed down TO us from the Dark
Ages. Under the increasing light,
thinking people have not been able TO
swallow some OF the monstrous state
ments of the creeds as readily as did
their forefathers. The persecution of
Baptists gave place to toleration-that
they might baptize as they chose even
though their teaching that immersion
Is the door into the Church implied
that all the unimmersed are outside the
true Church. outside the pale of saliva
ton, and hence prospectively subject
to eternal torture. Presbyterians and
Methodists. unable to down each other
on the subject OF Election or Free
Grace, agreed to live and let live"
The great churches which formerly |
prosecuted all others as heretics, for |
bidding any to preach except by their
ordinations, gradually found them |
selves compelled to desist from making /
their tenets too prominent Thus peo
pie are more or less bewjldered AZ to
what are the differences between the
various denominations; and many con
riude tnut the only difference Is in
forms. ceremonies. ordinations, etc.
The doctrine that God had foreor-
dained 800 out of every 1000 TO an eter-
nifty Of torture in fire was gradually
looked nj as too horrible to believe,
The alternative doctrine, that God did
not foreordain the matter thus, but
had not the wisdom or power to avoid
such a catastrophe for His creatures.
was equally repugnant. As a conse
nuence preachers began to tell that
the destiny of the world was not literal
fire. but gnawing of conscience, ETC.
each manufacturing a He'll in accord
ance with his own wisdom or igno-
rance and TO suit his congregation.
Under such conditions Christian Sci
,nce was born, and has grown to its
present proportions. Three things es-
ncially favored It: a. its acceptance
If the Bible; CO its rejection of ever
asting torment, mental or physical;
b its teaching respecting Divine heal
ng Mrs. EDDY. the acknowledged
read of Christian Science, had keen
mind and considerable wisdom in its
xercise. she would hold to the BIZ
lie. even though she needed to per-
'ert its teachings. She would not
make her teachings respecting the fu-
ure life too pronounced or too antag
nistic TO other theories She content
d herself with vague, ambiguous
re the future life. She |
aid principal stress on healing, and
ettled all doctrinal difficulties with /
he dictum that there is no evil, there
] no sin. there is no death; that what
ave been called sin. death and evil
re merely errors OF the mind