PART SECOND.

THEORY.

FIRST STUDY IN CHRISTIAN SCIENCE.

T

'HE first lesson in the Science is largely, if not entirely, made up of coming together upon certain points, or finding a common denominator upon which we all, like fractions, can assimilate or unite harmoniously. If we can find such a basis it ought to be an easy matter to run a line to the place which we are seeking.

This Science or Knowledge must be capable of being placed before reasonable people in a logical manner, else it has no claim to the name of Science.

No doubt there may be some that dispute the claim that it is a Science, but ordinarily those that dispute the claim are those that haven't looked into its merits; as soon as they do, they will see the sound sense and rare logic, the pearls and jewels with which it abounds, and they too will say, the half hasn't been told about it.

One thing that is very interesting and peculiar about the Science is, that its beauties and benefits are only for those who put it into practice. In fact any science is a theory until it is practiced; as soon as it is practiced it becomes an art,

We may tell about the Science, explain it, and teach others, but before they can see and understand the beauties that lie hidden in the mine, they must go down into it for themselves: like the beauties of a cave filled with crystal quartz and other sparkling rocks, specimens may be brought to the surface but there is no understanding the sparkling effect of the Science until one goes into it themselves.

Being Scientific, it must be practical, for one of the generally accepted ideas of anything scientific is that it can be put to a practical use.

In fact the world has had theories upon theories about the Christian religion, and no end of those professing Christianity, and as about so much theory always has to precede the practice, so with Practical Christianity.

The time has now come when the cry is going up all over the world, Why don't some one put in practice the things Jesus taught?

If God or Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, why don't those that believe in his name, heal as he did?

If God is no respector of persons, why don't some one do something to relieve the thousands of suffering human creatures that are on every hand? And the answer seems to be that for the most part, the people were acknowledging the form and denying the power, or as Paul says, Having a form of Godliness but denying the power.

Christian Science is Christian Practice.

It is putting the Truth on a practical basis instead of a professional one.

It is finding out the principle involved in the teachings of Christ. And not only his, but that of Moses, Daniel, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah and the wise men of all ages,

They must have all had some Principle upon which they worked, or their statements would be in conflict.

Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord.

Christian Science is a chain of reasoning to which if a person pay strict attention the prayer of their hearts will be answered.

Christian Science is simply asking God for certain things and knowing that he will give them if he has them. It explains what God is, and in order to do so clearly may suggest certain other things which He is not. Not that it is necessary to look on the dark side, the world has been looking on that side long enough. There is no light to be thrown from the dark side, but we have been dealing with the errors and sicknesses and discords so long that occasionally a remark of what God is not, seems to clear away a lot of rubbish. Just as one clears out a house or yard, they sweep and cart the things away and dump them where they may be of some account, for there is nothing that does not have its uses as well as its abuses.

As before stated, Christian Science is simply asking God for certain things and knowing that he will give them to us if he has them. Of course if he hasn't them he can't give them, there is no use asking him for things that he has not.

There are certain things that God is and has, and there seem to be certain other things that he is not and has not. This lesson is devoted to stating what God is and has, so that we may find out what we are, and can have and can be.

If we are made in the image, after the likeness of God, it is very necessary that we know or realize something about God before we can have any definite idea of what we are, ourselves.