The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-11-22
christian SCIENTIST
EXPLAINS TEACHINGS
Lecturer Frank BeI1, At Academy of
Music Gives Interesting Talk On
PRACTICES OF His Church.

Frank Bell. Of the board Of lecture
ship. First Church of Christ, Scientist,
OF Boston. delivered a lecture on the
teachings OF his church last night at
! the Academy OF Music He told of
the practice of healing. ana the APP
peal 1t had In influencing members
to church The lecture was as fol-
lows:
to and not the prime ohjectof Chris
tian Science practice. But because
this Is not generally recognized out
side the Christian Science ranks, and
because the healings do constitute
important proof OF the correctness of
its teachings. II Is pertinent to refer
briefly to some OF the evidence that
Christian Science does heal disease.
The extraordinary growth OF the
movement Is in itself an impressive
testimonial to the efficacy OF its heal
ing. Although the first Christian
Science Church was established only
forty years ago, there are today
more than sixteen hundred such bod
While the largest numerical represen-
tation Is in the United States where
Christian Science had its beginning,
It's churches are to be found quite
numerously in England, Canada, and
Germany and they are to be found
also in France, Ireland, Scotland,
Wales, Holland. Italy. Norway, Swe-
den. Switzerland, South Africa, Aus
tralia, New Zealand, China, the Phil
ipptnes, Argentina, Mexico, Panama,
the West Indies. and Bermuda From
virtually every quarter come reports
,of continuing and substantial growth.
IN M iva xyf1 90 iFh lie
found In the fact that the demand for
the authorized literature is increas-
ing so rapidly as to tax the constantly
enlarging publication facilities
In ten years past the number OF
Christian Science organizations In
creased 10 per cent The &C
tual net gain in mum bers of organi-
cations was e87. Or an average Of
little better than one peH week
throughout the ten year period. The
fact that the net increase last year
was sixty-flve organizations shows
the rate OF increase Is being well
maintained. In the ten years refer
red to, the membership Of the mother
church, the parent organization of
the movement, has increased lie per
cent, and at the, latest annual meet
ing of the mother church the report
of the clerk showed that the num-
Der of new members received at that
time was the largest in the history
OF the church.
These data are cited because OF
their significance in the light OF the
fact that this movement which In so
brief a period has become world
wide, has been recruited largely
from among those who turned to It
for healing. The proposition of
Christian science from It's beginning
has been to all men, as II Is to you,
that nothing need to be accepted with
regard to II that cannot be demon
strated to satisfaction In the indivi-
dual experience of the student.
Christian Science has no means of
attracting or holding followers ex-
cept its superior ability to meet their
human needs, and If II had failed to
DO this to any appreciate extent the
closing chapter in Its history would
have been written long ago. So,
steadily increasing growth OF the
movement constitutes inferential eI-
dence of a peculiarly forceful char
acter that Christian Science healing
Is a fact,
Thousand Testify to Holding
Then there Is mass Of evidence
of g. direct and particular nature to
be found In the individual testimon-
les of healing In the official publica-
lions Of the Christian Science Church
In these publications in recent years
have appeared the statements Of more
than 1900 persons who testify to
having been healed through Christian
Science of Ills that cover virtually the
whole range of human suffering.
These 1000 Of persons have been 30
impressed with what Christian Sci
ence has done for them In the way of
healing that they have voluntarily
set out their experiences in writing
and asked that these be published
over their own signatures for the in
formation Of their fellow men.
or course oflciAl records are not
really required by the average indi-
vtdual who wishes to learn what
Christian Science Is doing for the
sick, for the reason that In almost
every community Of consequence the
inquirer may obtain flrst-hand infor-
nation from the benefictaries OF this
healing method. The Wednesday ev-
ening testimony meetings In Chris
tiau Science Churches everywhere are
Especially recommended In that re-
spect-
Christian Science In Business.
In the business world Christian
Science has been found to be no.
tably helpful. a sound body and a
clear head are important assets to
one upon whom devolves the direc-
tion or execution of affairs of trade
and industry. But Christian Science
does something for business itself
as we'll as for the business man
or woman. For one thing. 1t takes
fear out Of business. thereby remov-
ing prime factor of failure. The
Christian Scientist in business will
tell you that he has reason TO be
every day less afraid for his bust
ness And this Is because he Is learn
ing how to think. how to discern
between the right impulse and the
wrong. how to hold in check the ag-
gressive suggestions of ruthless hui
man will and pride and greed that
would lead TO mistakes or Judgment:
likewise how to put down the ener-
waiting arguments of timidity and self
depreciation. amid whose mists op-
portunity might pass by unobserved.
Discovery and Establishment.
During forty years OF almost unin-
terrupted invalidism Mrs Eddy had
been struggling toward the aDprehen-