The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-04-26

The sermon be
gan with the statement that what a
man believes is his own business, and
not subject to public criticism; but that
when body Of people associate them
selves, publish their doctrines to the
world and invite members, they lose
the individual privilege, and their doc
trines are open to public criticism. But
doctrines alone may be criticised; and
they should be honestly treated, not
misrepresented
The Pastor then traced the remarka-
BILE growth Of Christian Science. Its
teachings appeal to very intelligent
class of people-a well-to-do class, OF
considerable mental Independence. So
far as he has cOnversed with Christian
Scientists, he finds that physical heal
ing seems more or less associated with
their conversion to their cult Either
themselves or their friends have been
healed. Their realization of the cure
convinced them that there Is a super
natural power outside Of man. and
aroused religious sentiment such as
they had never before known.
Be~ildsred christendon.
The reason for this is that nominal
Christianity is merely form Of godli
ness, without power or conviction,
which has spread to such an extent
that the whole world is styled Chris
tendom-Christ's Kingdom. Addition
ally. during the last fifty years sin
cere class Of Christians have been
greatly perplexed because Of the stu
pendous nonsense, intermingled with
Truth, which was handed down to us
from the Dark Ages. Under the in
creasing light thinking people could
not swallow some of the nonstrous
statements of the creeds as readily as
did their forefathers; and each demon
ination has found 1t necessary to say
little about its creed Thus people are
bewildered as to the differences be-
tween the various denominations; and
many have concluded that the only diff
ference Is in forms, ceremonies, etc.
The doctrine that God had foreor
dained 900 out Of every 1000 to an
eternity Of torture in fire became too
horrible to believe. The alternative
doctrine, that God did not foreordain
matters thus, but had not the wisdom
or the power to avoid such catas-
trophe for His creatures, became equal
ly repugnant. Consequently preachers
began to tell that the destiny Of hu.
manity was not literal fire, but gnawing
Of conscience, etc.-each preacher man
ufacturing a He'll Of his own.
Under these conditions Christian Sci.
ence was born. Three things especial
ly favored It: O its acceptance Of the
Bible; t2) its rejection Of everlasting
torment: (3 its teaching of Divine heal
ing. Mrs. Eddy, its acknowledged head,
had a keen mind and considerable wis
dom In its exercise. She held to the
Bible, though she perverted its teach
ings. She laid stress on healing. and
settled all doctrinal difficulties with the
dictum that there is no evil, there is no
sin, no death; that what have been so
called are merely errors Of the mind.
The very absurdity Of some Of these
statements advertised them. At first
people said. Absurd! Later they said,
We will see how Christian Science ex-
plains death, sickness, pain, sin. Thus
curiosity led them into the metaphys-
ical labyrinth which Mrs. Eddy had
constructed. Having no intelligent
knowledge Of the Bible, they were in
condition to fall an easy prey to
Mother Eddy's" errors.
Is Christian Science logiesl7
The Pastor then discussed some prob
lens which Christian Science pre-
sents to all logical minds. This cult
declares that there is no death, and
that whoever dies merely commits
mortal error" The fact that for six
thousand years mankind have died is
surely against this theory. II every
body commits mortal error" every
body dies. Even Mother Eddy" final
ly succumbed. The speaker wondered
what solution Christian Science offers
for this problem
Again, II disease is error, II death is
the greatest Of errors, and If the es-
Gaping of mortal rror'-death-brings
everlasting life, how do our Christian
Science friends expect to get everlast
ing life, when at the last moment of
their trial they make failure? The
corollary would be hopeless death to
all. In this conclusion the Bible agrees:
THE wages of sin is death" Sin brings
mortal error"-death.
But the Bible logically points out
Gods provision in Christ for msnkind's
recovery out Of this death condition by
a resurrection from the dead u Cor.
1921, 22.) Those who deny that there
10 death must Of necessity deny that
Jesus died, and hence deny the Ran.
som-Price given for the worlds sins.