Arizona republican., 1916-11-01


 be done by ten minutes of right think ing than by hours of talking to those who do not care to hear>
 One wno by virtue of his wide learn ing and keen intellect was qualified to speak upon the subject, once said. l referring to the natural sciences art and literature. Tn science you must not talk until you know, in art you must not talk until you do; in liter ature you must not talk until you think" In Christian Science, it may well be said that we are wise if we do not talk until we know, and do, and think: know the Principle of Christian Science, do what it teaches, and think what we are aoout to say, to whom. and how. and when. and where If we follow this simple rule we shall not talk too little; if we ignore 1t we may well talk too much. The Right Idea About God
 May I ask you then, during the time we are together today, to consider with an open mind some of the teach ings of Christian Science about God. that you may try them out in your own experience for the overcoming of { those things which make up the sum | of human misery. We will ask you while here not to think of God as one | who is afar off. and who has nothing more in common with you than you ] have with the worm that crosses your path Of summers morning. We will ask you not to think of Him as a God who resembles a glorified man; as q God tvho afflicts, as a God of wrath and vengeance and fire and flood and tempest.
 We will, instead. ask you to con- sider God as Christian Science shows Him to he, not afar off. but at hand always and everywhere. not indiffer- ent to you and your welfare. but sympathetically interested, as you are interested in your own children; the God whose power is infinite through out the universe, yet who never uses 1t to force you to do anything; whose
 infinite goodness is ever available by you, who's" infinite intelligence, like an open book. is always ready for you to use. l will ask you to think of Him as the one who forgiveth a thine iniquities. who hcaleth all thy diseases yet who never forces for giveness upon you or compels you to turn 70 Him to be healed. if in your ignorance or ~aywardpess you would rather rely upon man made cures or methods
 All people who would be regarded as Christian believe in God. yet how few understand Him. The textbook oi Christian Science tp.203) declares truly that If God were understood instead of being merely believed. this understanding would establish health Does this seem like an eXtravagan' statement? Compare 1t then with the words of Jesus on the same subject , where in John xvii we are told that to know God IS life eternal" Car , voI conceive of a vital fact put ir , stronger words?
 When the Respondent invalid recog. . nizes that tod never made man sicl , or a sick man, that on the contrary
 i has given to man unbroken health f that sickness is an imposition o mortal mind and Is illegitimate ab- normal. unrignteops. without divine , law. recognition, 9r sanction. he ii , then ready tU turn 10 divine Mind ] God Himself. who forgiveth all thin' , iniquitieS; who heaieth all thy dis
 cases"
 |, Jesus by precept and example wa , continually lifting mems thought abov
 their Inherited and impedimentive be , liefs about God as manlike being wit! , form and body. subject to wrath. ia i voritisnl changeahleness and othe
 human characteristics. Instead. h.
 revealed God to be infinite good. tn
 
 and in no way resembling. erring 1, finite man.
 l. Right Understanding of God . Jesus the Christ. by virtue of hi . divine sonship. taught that God [ ' not only loving. but that He is Love
 that He Is not only spiritual but tha . IT," Is spirit, in whom we live an ' move. and have our beinf. Can yu !, conceive of infinite Spirit or infinit
 
 subject to the personal limitations c
 time sni, place and circumstance9
 Christian Science. ever following tn ' teachings of Jesus, shows that Go
 is Love. that God is Spirit: that II
 Is Mind: that He IS Truth: that II . is Life. that God k the infinite Prin :, ci2lo of being. operating through un " changing laws. laws that are ahYay " comprehensible ard always beneficent . that He is ornniHcience. omnipotenc ' omnipresence. Do these definition v 1f fiod quickly appeal to the individui , who las always thought of God as ,i finite parsonage, magnifed man '' Perhaps not. But let us propose 2 an aId toward a fuller conprehensio .s that he choose from among the, ;. definitions the one which most neat y ly approaches bis highest conceptio v of gooc. and let Lis thought dwe ' upon that. A mans highest ideas V Cod can be no higher than his higi '- est conceptions of good. but tho |, should aiways he that high for Gc 'n is infinite. unchanging good.
 h II might appear presumptuous me here to attempt an adcqua ' exposition Of The full teachings 'k Christian Science bout God as scril ID turallY defined. l would. instead, r, " fer yon tO our textbook. where yt 'n will find them all fully set forth ar 1' flridly eNUounded But I feel that Y may with proprie.y briefly refer 'h that concept of God which so unive ip sally meets mans direst need in 'n darkest hours of trial and tribulatio ss the concept of God as infinite Loy 2 which the Scriptures impart al l- which Christian Science empha size s If the thought of God as Love. ev 'u blessing. never condemning: ever hea
 ing. never afflicting. ever protectir " and never neglecyng: including oi mankind in His fatherly care and f finite affection. fl this thought of G' se comes to you with tender appe. s@ hold fast Co it and cherish it. SC VIII unfold and enlarge and develc p and gradually lead you to Y f- broader. fuller knowledge of Him ly' Love divine. And can you conceive w anything that is so sorely needed { en day. in our churches and out of the ne than more of that same Love? An of thing that will so quickly che ui day is making countless thouan
 mourn?r
 re God as Principle O. If has been aptly said that life no like an arithmetic. made up cf pro to lenns which a very few find easy