The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-09-17

at the orpheum theatre Sunday
afternoon.
Mr.. strickler is one of the most
prominent Of the lecturers or
Christian Science, and his address
Sunday afternoon was listened to
with profound interest by the aud
fence.
Prof. w. c. Palmer, editor Of the
extension department of the Agri-
cultural college, in introducing the
lecturer, said:
TN giving Christian Science to the
world Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy has
furnished a key to the Scriptures
and has demonstrated that the work
done by Jesus, his disciples and fol-
lowers, was done according to Di-
vine Science and Law which we can
learn and USE in destroying sin and
sickness. Jesus said. HE that be-
lieveth on me shall do the work that
/ do! Healing sickness seemed to
hold as big place in his work as
preaching the gospel. We owe Mrs
Eddy a debt of gratitude for giving
us Christian Science and for work
ing out so carefully the principles
and details of 1t In Science and
Health and her other writings which
open up the Scriptures and offer re-
lease from fear, sin and sickness
Many find 1t difficult to understand
Christian Science at first and many
have 1t mIsrepresented to them. In
order to bring first hand informa-
ton about Christian Science, lectur-
ers are sent out by the Board of Lee
tureship OF the Mother church, The
First Church OF Christ, Scientist,
Boston, Mass, to address audiences
such as are gathered here this after
noon. Today we have the privilege
OF having Virgil o. Stricken, G. S.
B., with us whom ] now have the
pleasure OF introducing to you''.
Mr.. Stricken In his lecture said:
AS it becomes more generally un-
derstood that through the ministry
of Christian Science people are be-
ing healed of sickness, sin, unhap-
piness, worry, fear, and other dis
cordant conditions, there is an ever
increasing desire upon the part of
the general public to learn how these
results are accomplished. 1t is the
purpose OF this lecture to explain
how Christian Science does these
things. There is no mystery about
Christian Science healing, nor Is 1t
dificult to understand. 1t can be
stated without any reservation what
ever that every person "a no is will
ing to do so may learn how to heal
sickness and to destroy the desire to
sin for himself and others through
Christian Science.
Many Different Religious Beliefs.
1t is said that there are more
than two hundred different kinds OF
the Christian religion alone, not TO
mention the hundreds Of other ferns
of religions that are not Christian.
1t is a fact that people do entertain
I1SvT los n
many instances the differences are
irreconcilable, and yet every one
believes with all of the sincerity Of
which he is capable that his own par-
ticular beliefs are true. It must be
conceded that, in the main, all peo-
pie are equally honest and equally
sincere in their religious beliefs.
The only reason why they are group
ed together in different forms Of
religions is because they honestly
believe that through their own par
ticular form Of religion they will find
the good which they so earnestly de-
sire.
AS one considers the subject Of re-
ligion from this broad viewpoint 1t
becomes entirely plain that most of
the people in the world are believing
as their religion many things that
are not true.
There is only one truth about my
subject, although there may he many
erroneous beliefs about it. This is as
true of religious subjects as of 9TH
ers. II one believes enormously as
to what is the law he will not be a
safe lawyer, nor will he be an efflci-
ent engineer IL his beliefs concern
ing the rules of mathematics are
faulty. In each case erroneous be-
FMN~ - - nNy
knowledge before correct results can
be attained.
Every one will recognize not only
the desirabiIity, but the necessity, Of
exchanging false and erroneous be-
liefs about religious matters for posi-
tive truth. In no other way can he
grow spiritually. Spiritual truth Is
the truth about spiritual things, but
as long as one believes enormously
about spiritual things he is on false
track and his erroneous beliefs will
deprive him of the benefits that
would otherwise come to him through
q correct understanding of the truth.
He should remember that Jesus
proved that there is enough spiritual
truth in existence that can be taught
TO and understood by human beings
to enable them to heal the sick and
raise the dead. and no one should be
satisfied until he has attained to this
understanding and demonstration.
True religion consists OF spiritual
truth, and not of erroneous beliefs;
hence IL follows that ones religion
is limited to the amount of spiritual
truth he knows, and that erroneous
religious beliefs are only so many
decisions that serve no other purpose
than to obstruct spiritual growth.
H.
been that we have believed errone-
ously without knowing II. In my own
case Ii was not until Christian
Science came to me and taught me
the difference between spiritual
truth and erroneous human belief
that learned how to dissect my own
beliefs. No one could be more GER
tain of the correctness of his relig-
tous beliefs than was OF mine at
that time ! had been believing hon
estly and sincerely many things that
I found could not possibly be true.
Many scales began to fan from my
eyes, and then commenced to learn
and experience for the first time the
real Significance OF the words used by
Jesus In the eighth chapter OF John.
when he said, "Ye shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you
free
Christian Science aims TO destroy
erroneous religious beliefs by substi
tuting q knowledge Of truth in place
thereof, and to destroy out of the
human mind all evil qualities by
planting good qualities in their stead.
1t wages relentless warfare against
all wrong mental qualities. II seeks
to substitute love In place OF hate
unseIfishness in place of selhshness,
honesty in place OF dishonesty, and
truth in place OF error. It lays trem-
endous emphasis upon the necessity
for sbringing into captivity every
thought to the obedience Of Christ"
III. Cor. K. Sd as the Bible commands.
1t shows that the cause Of all dis