Articles

Outline of a sermon preached by Rev. D.

[Republished by request of students, and by permission of the author. — Ed.

As Jacksonville and other Florida cities have numerous Christian Scientists among their people, although they are for the most part unorganized, it may interest the readers of the Times-Union this morning to learn that this, the newest really among the religious sects of the United States, already has 221 church organizations distributed over thirty-three states, 8,724 communicants or members, seven church edifices valued at $840,666 and with an aggregate seating capacity of 1,500, and 213 halls rented for church purposes and capable of seating 19,690 people. This sect is most numerous in Illinois, where there are 13 church organizations, 1 church edifice and 1,271 communicants, New York state being next with 28 church organizations (but no edifices) and 1,268 communicants.

Oklahama City, Okla. Rev.

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you. " ( 2 Cor.

But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. Mal.

Nearly nineteen centuries have passed since amidst the flowery plains and hills of Palestine, was heard the angelic chorus, "Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, good will to men," announcing the coming, and heralding the birth of a Teacher of immortal Truth; one who said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. " Spoken in one language and translated into others, coming down through the dark ages, through times of persecution when the Massacre of hundreds of Christians in one day was deemed holy work; through the mediæval times when Church and State were united, and thereby became a foe more destructive than the previous persecutions; then through the period of the Reformation, a time in which a large part of the world was held in the darkness of Romish idolatry and superstition,—yet after all these years, and through all these seeming barriers, we find these words of the Master still shining resplendent on the inspired page, their spiritual lustre intact to the spiritually illumined.

Every child in any way familiar with the Old Testament history can give a graphic description of the seemingly supernatural crossing of the Red Sea by the children of Israel in their journeying out from the bondage of Egypt toward the promised land, even though their sense of this historic record be strangely confounded with the fairy tales which so delight the heart of the imaginative child. The thought is still present, even while perhaps undefined, that in some unaccountable way this experience of the Children of Israel is fact, while the other is fable.

The following extracts from "D'Aubigne's History of the Reformation" may not be uninteresting to Scientists. Speaking of Luther while yet a monk in the cloister, our historian says:— He has received salvation immediately from God himself; and from that moment Roman Catholicism is virtually destroyed in him.

The following is a reply to a second letter received by me from a member of the M. E.