Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-11-05
C1ristian Science; the Vision Of Jesus Christ
ALture Delivered BY Rev Andrew Graham

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Graham, c. S., at the Re
proxtmatsly TO the worlds level,
where It seemed to sleep for thou
sand years, while every phase Of
sin and tyranny was praeticed In
its name. These centuries con-
stitute what may properly b called
the dark ages. A theoretical sys-
TEN Of salvation had thrust itself
between God and the individual
man. And 1t was night"
he Re.Dawn.
In 1886 A. D., John Wyclifts.
called the Morning Star Of the Re-
! formation, was It the senith Of his
influences. An article In the Ency-
cl0pedia Britannica which gathers
mp the thought Of many scholars
says: He (John Wycliffe) may ct
least claim to have discovered the
secret Of the immediate dependence
OF the individual Christian upon
God, . relation which needs NO
mediation Of any priest, and to
which the very sacraments Of the
church. however desirable, are not
essentially necessary" This spirit
Of the reformation began to do
away with serfdom and feudalism
and to emphasize the right Of the
individual. It broke somewhat the
bondage In which the human mind
had been held. and thought thus
released became active in many
directions. The printing press ap-
peared, the bible was translated
into languages understood by the
people, the catacombs with their
valuable early Christian records
were thrown open. In Florence
and Venice paintings, sculpture,
architecture and metal work dis
played themselves In wondrous
forms and colors: Spain and scan-
dinavia sailed distant seas In quest
Of new worlds: while England, Ire
land, Scotland and Bohemia were
stirred by . more vital sense Of re-
ligion. The renaissance of thought
known % the rise Of learning quick
ened also the spirit al faculties 20
that the ecclesiastical body which
opposed the reformation fastened
missionaries to Indian and the new
world. : Among most European
Protestants, missionary bands and
bible societies were active. Where
ever British merchantmen sailed
the seas there were earnest efforts
to carry the blessings OF Chris
tianity.
Christian Scientists are not un-
mindful Of, but recognize the value
Of this. Reformation movement In
human history, which prepared
mankind for the reception again Of
the unmutilated gospel. They &C
knowledged the Reformation stood
for activity IN the right direction,
but was not radical enough to re-
move all the misconceptions about
God with which tho dark ages had
beclouded thought. II man IL to
be freed from the burden Of sin,
sickness, and death, he must md
such freedom through . God who
neither creates nor sustains these
evils. Christian Scientists know no
god but the good God. God IL re-
vealed more clearly through the
teachings Of Christian Science than
through any other religious instruc-
ton, and the real Christian under
standing which Jesus possessed be-
comes possible, ct least in some
degree, to every one through the
study Of Christian Science. which
proves that Christian Science is
the genuine Christ-understanding.
or Christian knowing. The Refor-
nation movement did not free IT.
self entirely from. the false teach
| ing Of the dark ages. To some ex-
tent It still sees God as through q
smoked glass" Doctrinally 1t
holds to mental positions which IN
volve the belief that God creates
and sustains sin, sickness. and
death, while practically 1t teaches
that the man who is sorry for his
sin may always be forgiven. but
the sick man who is sorry for his
sickness can hardly ever be healed.
This contradictory attitude Of
thought was never entertained by
Jesus. The fact IL that so far as
specified cases in the new tesla
Iment are concerned, He healed
sickness much : more frequently
than sin. This is the prominent
feature in the ministry of Jesus
the Christ which the Reformation
movement did not recover This
work remained to be accomplished
by q movement more spiritual In
its perception. more comprehensive
IN its understanding Of the gospel.
! In the year 1866 Mary Baker Ed
dy, whom medical skill had failed
to relieve of serious physical
trouble. was instantaneously heal
ed through reading the Scriptures.
Christian Scientists know that with
her healing began the modern full
fillment Of Jesus promise: when
He, the Spirit of truth. 10 come, He
will guide you into all truth" In
stead Of taking her physical healing
and losing herself in the throng
Of the unthankful, her gratitude TO
God and compassion for suffering
humanity led her 70 investigate and
to mediate. On page 100 Of
Science and Health with Key to
the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy writes:
For three years after my discov-
cry. I sought the solution Of this
problem Of mind-healing. searched
the Scriptures and read little else,
kept aloof from society, and devot-
ed time and energies to discovering
Q positive rule" This rule she dis
covered. stated. elucidated, and
demonstrated, over and over again,
in healing the sick. thus reinstat-
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