Imperial Valley press., 1926-05-03


NGiven Under Auspices of First
Church of Christ Scientist,
Ell Centre
q TO those healed through the writ
t%s and teachings of Mary Baker
Hdy, or through the understand
TX and demonstration of her stu
Ints-to those healed, as was r,
lhen everything else had failed,
Yhcn even the last faint glimmer Of
Erterial hope had fled-Christian
Flence is no mere pleasing abstrac-
fon, attractive philosophy, Of beau
.ful idealism, but, rather, an i'm
N"nse fact, something wonderfully
Far and real, something service
PIE, available, within ones reach,
Iways dependable in times of un-
Ertainty and trouble, and never
fore so than in moments of great
1t need.
| am going to assume that those
resent who are not of the faith
j. profess, are here, nevertheless,
pin thc good purpose Of learning,
so far as | may be able to pre-
Fht so great subject in so brief
! space of time, why / am tens Of
fousands like me, in all parts of
he globe. have accepted this faith.
am going to assume that non
llentistS are here with the worthy
lIrposc of learning 10 what extent
Z that they have heard, disparag-
g, or c0mmcndatory of Christian
licnce, be it much or little all
Eat they have heard of its Discov-
Ter and Founder, of it's tenets, its
Dctrincs, its demonstrations of the
1laractcr and intelligence of its
tcmbcrship. is true or false.
This is unqucStiouabalv Il trying
Ee. an age that is putting to the
tst the integrity of human mora
~. the stability of human pro-
Ress. The very best in men and
Iomen is summoned, as never be-
pre- IN modern times, to rally to the
lptection and preservation of the
kod achieved through centuries of
frncst and decades of enlightened
ifort.
IChristian Science, which never
bnds TO reaction, nor stoops to pes
Imism. is not fearful regarding the
ttimatc outcome of any contest be-
leeen truth and error, between good
kd evil, for it knows that God
tigns; but. being practical. neither
! il ohlivious of, nor Indifferent
l., the obligations which present or
tssing conditions involve.
A Time of Unusual Obligation
Z We are living in time when
Obligations of an unusual nature
bust be dealt with; in n time which
ais for the putting aside Of mar.
,w. petty. parochial views, that we
bay fix our attention upon those
|liugs which lie within the range
Ii m enlarged vision; we are living
h an epoch when not TO think pos
lively, broadly, deeply, and, above
d.. scientifically and spiritually, is
b. to think adequately or rightly
NJ the problems confronting hum
bitv today.
There is so much popluar discon-
but so much distrust. so much dis
SO much disturbance of
bought, nationally and intcrna-
lonally-so much of rcbellious sen
jment and expression in quarters
thcrc one might naturally look for
kdcrlincss and conservatism; ana,
lore important and more startling
han all Of these, there is so strong
I tendency toward insuhordina'
Ion, lawlessncss, immortality, and
imc, that the need of n strong
1lrrcnt of comtcracting Influence.
lowing outward from n spiritual
1urcc is felt deeply by all intel
lcnt observers.
II is seen very clearly not only
bat this Influence. to be effective,
lust be spiritual, but also that IL
bust come through channels other
ban those through which religious
l,siruction has been flowing, and,
lpparcntly. flowing aimlcssly, dur
|g many generations. Leading
lerics of the orthodox school in
Europe and America have reached
he point of confcsSiug that what
|hcv denominatc rs the Church has
,st its hold upon the masses. and
|uch to their effort is now direct
h toward regaining, if possible, the
which they concede has
lccn lost. 1t is frankly admitted
1 the orthodox pulpit, that the
Church, ~ so called, has practical
\ failed in these latter days to cope
lith problems of gretest concern to
he human race. 1t is openly as
|,rtcd by theological dignitaries
hat the "Church, as administered
Cdav, has proved to be powerless
!, the matter of stemming the tide
If irrcvcrcncc, irreligion, agnosti-
ism, infidelity. and atheism.
No Concession to Error
Now, to confess that evil is more
powerful than good, that morality
lannot measure strength with i'm
|norality, that virtue must give way
ocforc vice,-that Truth is, or can
pc. crushed by effor,-consider even
psidc from religion, and as a pure
" ethical proposition--is to assume
hat civilization, as developed
through two thousnd years of Chris
ianity, is failure, and that the
|uman race is reverting to pagan
SIN and barbaritv. Viewed from a
religious standpoint such a propo'
,ition is preposterous and unthink-
bile, since it involves the presump-