The Washington times., 1917-02-04
THIRD LECTURE ON
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
William R. Rathvon Delivers
Talk on ''Way of Happiness
Here and Hereafter"
RIGHT THINKING NEEDED
Lecturer Asks Hearers to Pre-
serve Open Mind on
Subject:

serve Open Mind on
Subject:
William r. Rathvon, c. S. B., q
member OF the board OF lectureship
of the First Church OF Christ, scien-
tist, in Boston, delivered the third of
the lectures on Christian Science
which are being given this season
under the auspices of the local Chris
tian Science churches, at Polls The
ater this afternoon before an audi
ence which filled the great audi
torlum to overf,owing. The speaker
was introduced by John II. Shaefer:
Mr.. Rathvon Is q fluent speaker
and his hearers listened with the
closest attention to his explanation
of the Way to Happiness, Here-and
Hereafter" Among other things he
said:
Healed Overwhelmed.
when the man who is healed in
Christian Science recognizes that he
has restored to him the blessings of
health and happiness, usefulness and
ability, those valued things that were
so sorely threatened, he Is almost
overwhelmed by a surge of emotions.
Amazement, curiosity. and a desire
to understand are uppermost.
"'Whst has done this wonderful
thing, and how can ! get hold OF IT.?
are the insistent questions he pro-
pounds I want this marvellous
power to help others: / know SO many
people that need 1t, and I want to
talk it to them by the hour he ear
nestly declares go
Natural Zeal.
This zeal Is natural and commend
able, but unless II Is tempered with
wisdom It may be harmful rather than
helpful. for Christian Science Is not
a religion of words but of works.
To talk Christian Science enthusi-
asticaIly and indiscriminately with
out having lived II persistently, IL
to invite opposition where We had
hoped for acceptance.
1T often produces prejudice of sup |
port, incredulity instead of belief. |
More good can be done by ten min |
utes OF right thinking than by hours |
of talking to those who do not care
to near.
May Talk Tee Much.
zone who by virtue OF his wide
learning and, keen intellect was quail
ified to speak upon the subject, once
ences, art and literature, In science |
you must not talk until you know:
in art you must not talk until you
do; In literature, you must not talk |
until you think
"In Christian Science, 1t may well |
be said that we are wise IL We do
not talk until we know, and do, and
think; know the principle of Chris
tian Science, do what II teaches, and
think what we are about to say, TO
whom, and how, and when, and
where. II we follow this simple rufe
we shall not talk too little: IL we
ignore 1t we may well talk too much
Right idea About God.
MAY 1 ask you, then. during the
time we are together today, to con-
slider with an open mind some OF the
teachings of Christian Science about
God, that you may try them out in
your own experience for the over
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 OF, and |
who has nothing more in common
with you than you have with the
worm that crosses your path OF a
summers morning. We will ask you
not to think OF Him as a God who
resembles a glorified man; as a God
who afflicts, as q God of wrath and
vengeance and IRE and flood and
tempest.
God Always at Hand.
afNI-~ instnad asLr rOu 70 cop.
slider God as Christian Science shows
Him to be. not atar off, but at hand |
always and everywhere; not indif-
ferent to you and your welfare, but
sympathetically interested. as you are
are interested in your own children;
the God whose power Is infinite
throughout the universe, yet who new
er uses II to force you to do anything;
whose infinite goodness Is ever avail
able BY you, whose infinite intelli-
gence, Hike an open book, is always
ready for you TO use. l VIII ask you
to think of Him as the one who for
givoth all thine iniquities: who heal
eth all thy diseases yet who never
forces forgiveness upon you or. COM
peIs you to turn to Him to be healed,
n In your ignorance or waywardness
you would rather rely upon man-made
cures or methods.
Few .Understand Gsd.
"AIl people who would be regarded
as Christian believe in God, yet how
few understand Him. The textbook
OF Christian Science (p. 2O3) declares
truly that If God were understood in
stead OF being. merely believed, this
would establish health
Does this seem like an extravagant
statement? Compare It then with the
words Of Jesus on the same subject
where in John Xvii:3 we are told
that to know God is life eternal Can
YOU conceive of a vital fact put in
stronger words?
Ready to Turn to Mind.
"When the despondent invalid
recognizes that God never made .
man sick or a sick man; that on the
contrary He has given to man un-
broken health: that sickness is an
imposition OF mortal mind and is. IL
abnormal, unrighteous.
without divine Law, recognition, or
sanction. He Is then ready to turn to
divine Mind. God Himself. who for
giyeth all thine iniquities: who
beaIeth all thy diseases