The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-13

DIR. LOveland, Methodist, Talks
on Christian Science.
Sermon by Former Topeka Pas
tor Attracts Much Attention.

Rev. Frank L. Loveland, a former
pastor of the First Methodist church
here, recently preached a sermon be-
| fore his new Methodist charge at
Portland, Ore, that has been attract
ing a lot of attention all over the coun-
Try, and especially from the secular
press. Some excerpts from it as re-
ported in the Portland Oregonian and
reprinted in the Christian Science
Sentinel, follow:
Here is question worth while. If
the human body can be healed of dis
ease by simple prayer and faith we
bring healing, I declare to you that
the church of Jesus Christ has been
criminal in it's negligence in the past
and Christianity stands indicted at the
bar of justice. Are you conscious Of
the fact that within the last fifty
lief and betterment of humanity have
come up? Things have happened that
we never dreamed of before. The
church of Jesus Christ has swung
into a new orbit, and many things
spring up that are almost bewildering.
1t is only by the grace of God that this
has not resulted in another wave of
intolerance. Among the many
strange new things are the so-ca1led
modern ways of healing.
christian Science has come and
it has grown by leaps and bounds.
There is one thing, by the way, that l
how do they raise. so much money
with so little noise? What does it all
mean? What is this faith? 1t Is
worth your while and mine to study
antagonism. but for the purpose of
understanding. Do not let us be like
the people who are so narrow and
whose eyes are so close together that
they can see but one thing. We
may discover there is something in
this belief that demands more than a
sheer and passing glance.
I'VE know that sick people are cas-
lily hoodwinked. People are wander
ing everywhere in search of health.
The fear in the mind of the sick per-
son makes him a mark for the fakir
and the fanatic, and because of this
Christian people must study this ques-
ton. Legislation has taken up as impor-
tant the matter of health, and we have
our pure food laws. Public health
public morals, and public safety are
subjects that must be considered in
the pulpit. 1t is worth while for our
religion to be big enough and our
philosophy broad enough to get hold
of GODS truth, no matter whence it
comes. All truth is Gods truth.
CT am the Lord that healeth thee
I would we could all waken to the
truth of this statement. I would we
could all use our intelligence to the
advancement of the public veal.
When a mans faith is rooted in rea-
son, he will have a good reason for
mis- faith. L would rather have think
ing infidelity than blind credulity.
There is hope for the man who thinks.
say unto you, it is God who heals.
1T is not the method of baptism or
ritual that saves;-it is God The great
mistake of the past has been in the
church as we'll as elsewhere. We
have had eXaltation of method above
the high moral altitude of principle.
remember the day when men of
various denominations hated each
other. Even now there are some
Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians,
and others, / have no doubt, that think
the Christian Scientists will go to hell
feel that something has been lost out
of Christianity. Did Jesus heal the
sick. He did. In the beginning
Christianity was meant for all hui
mainly as a whole, but as time went
on, unfortunately something was
dropped out. We have been busy put
ting up partitions between the various
and have lost sight of
important things. The Christian
to modes of baptism and iSnS' and |
all get on a plane where we can deal
with humanity as mighty whole.
''The Christian Science church has
been growing and taking our mem bers
because it offers something of value
hat can be caShed now, in freedom
rom disease. The church of Jesus
Christ should have been doing that all
hese years"
Floors are easy to keep clean where
I'll icI