The Washington herald., 1917-02-05
SPEAKER POINTS OUT
ROAD To HAPPINESS
William R. Rathvon Lectures at Poll S
on Christian Science.

on IhrlSdan Science.
The third of the series of lectures on
Christian Science being given this season
under the auspices Of First and Second
churches of Christ, Scientist. was deliv-
cred at Polls Theater yesterday after
noon by William r. Rathvon, a member
of the board of lectureship OF the mother
church. John H. Schaefer introduced the
speaker.
Mr.. Rathvon gave as the title of his
lecture The Way to Happiness Here and
Hereafter. and, among other things, said:
The business man who could have for
his partner one whose capital was I'M
limited and whose resources were mex
and whose knowledge all inclusive; whose
scientific proficiency was adequate to
heal quickly either a sick body or a sick
business; one who so thoroughly under
stood men and affairs that he was always
at the right place at the right time do
ing the right thing in the right way; who
succeeded in every undertaking and who
never failed; who made friends out OF
enemies, inspired confidence, brought the
best out of men that was in them, and
with it all was so strong and gentle and
genial and unselish and lovable that his
very presence brought Joy with 1.-THE
business man, say, who could get such
an individual for his partner might well
believe that his business troubles were
about over for good and all
But did you or any one else ever
know a human being who had all these
qualities of perfection? No, for such a
one would have to possess all power;
that is, he would have to be omnipotent
n MOI hor to Ia h3,,rr
at all times; that is, he would have to
be omnipresent. He would have to pos
sess all knowledge about everything, past,
present and future; that is, he would
have to be omniscient. And the only
being possessing the qualities of omni-
pOtence, omnipresence and omniscience
Is God. infinite good, the cause and crea-
tor of an that eternally exists.
Not Very Difficult.
Yet, It is possible and not so very
difficult for you and an. man in busi-
ness or out of 1t to bring into your daily
affairs SO much of what proceeds from
GOD and partakes of His nature, that
you may have a silent partner ever with
you whose influence will not only i'm
prove your business but transform your
whole life for the better. This is the
influence that has entered the lives Of
SO many Of your fellow men who have
turned to Christian Science to get relief
from worry. harmful habit, fear, anxiety,
want sickness, pain, sorrow and despair
When a man discovers that the losses,
worries, misfortuDes, hardships, and ill
health he has suffered are due to his
ignorance about some essential thing. he
Is usually quite ready to get the right
idea about that essential thing Then
when he has applied 1t and sees his
troubles going he is indeed q happy man.
II any one were to ask me what one
thing in my own early experience in
Chrt tian Science stood out by itself, what
one thing has brought with 1t the most
practical benefits in the way of health
and happiness and mental peace and ma
terial well-being, 1 would say it was the
right idea about God which Christian
Science brought to me, the right idea
about Gods nature. His laws and mans
relation to Him. Having been a business
man nearly all my life, 1 cared very lit
tie about any god but the god OF sue
cess, and I could not see how mans
knowledge Of Deity could have anything g
to do with his health, his success, or his
disposition. Christian Science soon dis
closed to me that our wrong beliefs about
God have led to most of our troubles
and that these troubles disappear as we
gain a right understanding of God and
apply II In our daily thinking and living.
Hits Waiting Policy.
Some of you may say, I have gotten
along very well so far without knowing
much about God l use common sense
I know that excess of every kind is in
furious so am temperate; know that
worry is harmful. so 1 do not worry; 1
know that fear prevents success, SO I
have stopped being afraid I have a
sound body and a sound mind. When
these fail me it will be time enough to
thing about calling on God. Until then 7
will wait" But, my friends, you are too
wise to apply this waiting policy to your
general affairs. You do not wait until
your car is stalled before you fill the
tank. You do not wait until your house
has burned down before you insure You
do not wait until your fingers are frozen
before you put on your gloves. Should
you not then use the same good Judgment
with things eternal as you do with things
temporal
THE greatest business In the universe,
the one in which We are all engaged, is
the business OF hving-the one business
that Is never closed out. for life Is with
out end, eternal, everlasting. The change
called death brings with 1t a change of
environment, but the ever present and
urgent problems of right living are not
changed, and II not solved here must be
solved by us hereafter. In the CONNER
cial world man may have to move his
business from New York to San Fran
cisco, but the fundamentals of good busi-
ness are not changed by his moving
They are the same in the one place as
In the other, and what he has learned
OF them in the East is necessary and
useful to him in the West. And so with
right knowledge of God. What you
may learn and apply of 1t here on earth
not only brings you a present reward
but adds to your equipment hereafter
Why, then, should you wait?
Because Christian Science n not n re-