We are glad to receive expressions and testimonials concerning the New Order of services. While no Christian Scientist questions the wisdom of its ordination, believing it to have been divinely imparted, yet it is gratifying to hear from the different parts of the field as to its practical effects.
We have heard incidentally of a greater relative number of cases of healing under the new order than under the old. We should be glad to receive testimonials of well authenticated cases occurring in the future. Also such view as our contributors may see fit to express from time to time, bearing upon the subject, and tending to show the fruits which are the outgrowth of this, the true method of public worship.
All Christian Scientists understand that our public services are only a part of the divine service. This term has too largely degenerated into the narrow sense of church attendance, and public preaching, song and prayer. As a result the laity are apt to think that if they attend church with fair regularity and listen with reasonable attention to the sermon, the prayers, and the singing of the choir, they have thereby performed their part in the "divine service," and are during the rest of the time practically exempt from further Christian duty. The only purpose of public worship should be to bring non-Christians to repentance and to aid professing ones in the discharge of their Christian duties. In other words, public worship should be a means to divine service, rather than the end thereof.
