Sentence:  The tender word and Christian encouragement of an invalid, pitiful patience with his fears and the removal of them, are better than <WSD>hecatombs</WSD> of gushing theories, stereotyped borrowed speeches, and the doling of arguments, which are but so many parodies on legitimate Christian Science, aflame with divine Love. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  Any great sacrifice; a great number of people, animals or things, especially as sacrificed or destroyed; a large amount.