IS DISEASE REAL, OR APPARENT?

In dealing with the reality or unreality of disease, the first thing to be established in the mind is the sense in which we are to use the word “reality.”

If we can accept the definition of the word “real” in its philosophic sense as that which is insusceptible of discord and decay, dissolution or disintegration, we will have a sense of reality which admits only that which is perfect and permanent. According to Plato’s idea, the real is the ideal, of which the materialist’s real is a more or less imperfect representation to the sense. The real, as we know it through the senses, is in a constant state of change, but, as science reveals it, it is “the same, yesterday, today, and forever.”

As the word “real” is susceptible of so many meanings, so is the word “apparent.”

1865 ~ The year a new thought of God and man and the universe was born.

In 1849 Dr.Chalmers, one of the most noted divines of the Anglican Church, gave it as his opinion, based upon mathematical observation of spiritual truth in the Bible, that in the year 1865, or thereabouts, Jesus would again manifest himself to the earth in person. So careful had Dr.Chalmers been in spiritual investigations and observations, as well as mathematical calculations, that when Jesus did not appear in person in the year 1865, 1866 or 1867, he became discouraged and said on his deathbed that it was one of the  greatest disappointments of his life, because everything in the Holy Scriptures pointed to the second advent at that time.

We have only to open the inner eye of the understanding in order to perceive.

A noted Hindoo teach er, visiting this country, once said that if he announced a lecture on “How to Get Rich,” the hall would be packed, but if he advertised one on “Self-Surrender,” he would not attract a baker’s dozen. He felt that the paramount object of the West, particularly of the United States, was to accumulate this world’s goods, irrespective of methods employed, or the uses to which these were to be put.

Mental Science or Psychology

 “Here is a player-piano. You have been using the wrong rolls of music. You have been playing sad pieces, funeral marches, monotones, chants and wails. Throw those away and put in lively rolls, glees, dances, two steps, jazz music and happy melodies. They will give you a complete change of spirit and you’ll forget all your woes and troubles and build up a new mental condition.”

“Discard your negative rolls and put in positive rolls. Don’t play negative music. Play positive music. The result will be that you will have a new state of mind and life will become pleasant instead of gloomy.”

Until WE learn how to pray, how can WE teach children?

From: NEW THOUGHTS ON OLD DOCTRINES by W. John Murray [Divine Science Publishing Co.New York, 1918]

We, who have prayed from our infancy up, are going to ask to be taught to pray in such a manner as to receive the blessings that were promised to him that prayed righteously. We must become as little children, and learn all over again. As a little child I was taught to pray at night, so were you,-

"Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray thee, Lord, my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray thee, Lord, my soul to take."

That gave me a picture of a God that was going to snatch me perhaps during the night, and sometimes I did not sleep for fear of it. That was the Old Thought.

The real atonement of Jesus was to exemplify man’s at-one-ment with God.

THE ATONEMENT

We have three definitions given of the word atonement. The first is appeasement; the second is reconciliation; and the third is unification or unity or at-one-ment. It is this last interpretation which Divine Science prefers to use. Separate the word atonement and you find at-one-ment, which means being at one, not atoning for.

Jesus came not to make atonement, but to interpret it. He came not to go through a certain bloody sacrifice in order that this a-tone-ment might be brought about, but to acquaint us intelligently with the definition and the possibilities of at-one-ment.

The whole purpose of Jesus was not to die or to atone,

but to make clear,

to exemplify, man’s at-one-ment with God;

this was the real atonement of Jesus.

W. John Murray
New Thoughts on Old Doctrines

₁₉₁₈

_{Symantics, not a-tone-ment which suggests atoning, but rather at-one-ment.}

pRE-eXISTENCE

THE doctrine of pre-existence is one that is an immediate corollary with the doctrine of immortality. If we believe in the immortality of the soul, it follows as a natural consequence that we must accept its pre-existence.
When Jesus said to his disciples, "I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am there ye may be also," he plainly affirmed the continuity of the individual soul, which not even death itself could obliterate or destroy. Hence, if we believe in the persistence of the individuality after what we call death, it ought not to be difficult for us to understand, or at least accept, its existence before that which we term birth.

CHURCH SERVICES TOMORROW (1917 and 1918)

I thought it might be interesting to display what to expect at services of New Thought churches in the early 1900’s.

September 1, 1917 (NY Times)

February 14, 1917 (NY times)

July 13, 1918 (NY Times)

Church of Truth

Dr. Albert Grier(1864-1941), studied at University of Michigan where he graduated with a Degree in Science in 1886. He then studied for the ministry in 1890 and became a Minister in the Universalist Church in Spokane, Washington. He was gifted healer and a teacher of mental, physical, and spiritual healing using the Universal Principles. He began actively to preach spiritual healing. His church was liberal, at least theologically, but it was not liberal enough to accept such teaching. So Albert C. Grier left the Universalist churchin 1913 and founded what he called the Church of the Truth in Spokane, Washington. Albert C. Grier himself eventually left Spokane and took over a small Unity group in Pasadena, California, forming it into a Church of the Truth[1].

Note: Around 1910 Rev. A. C. Grier of Spokane delivered the dedicatory sermon, consecrating the Park Universalist Church of Tacoma, Washington, the church to the principle of love. In 1911 the congregation invited Rev. Henry V. Morgan to become their minister. Thus began a pastorate that would last 40 years until Rev. Morgan's death in 1952. In 1924, Rev. Henry Morgan followed Rev. Grier's example. He resigned from Universalist church and successfully petitioned the denomination to sell him the church building. In 1926, Morgan and his congregation associated themselves with the Divine Science denomination and changed the name of the church to the Church of the Healing Christ.

He was later called to New York to succeed Dr. W. John Murray of the Church of the Healing Christ, one of a succession of New Thought leaders to have captured the popular interest in New York City, he was succeeded by Edward Mills, who brought property, built a substantial church, and served as its leader until his death, being succeeded by his much beloved wife, affectionately known as Mother Mary. Dr. Grier, eventually left the Church of the Healing Christ, to be followed by Emmet Fox, and started de novo[2] a Church of the Truth, which he led until his retirement.

His daughter, Gladys Grier, who had come as his assistant, carried on the work until 1940, when Ervin Seale, who had had his apprenticeship under Dr. Erma Wells[3] in Spokane, became minister and began to build up his extensive following. It was after the untimely death of Emmet Fox that Dr. Seale moved his congregation into famous Carnegie Hall.

"Knowing the Truth is simply another way of saying we know God, And knowing God is knowing, not the essential nature of God, but the Principle on which God works . . . So, therefore, knowing the Principle is knowing God in all essentials." ~ Dr. Albert Grier

Master Mind Magazine, April 1912 to September 1912 By Annie Rix Militz

"No two persons can pursue the same methods, but the Spirit of Truth will lead into all Truth," determined by one's vision and individuality. ~ Dr. Albert Grier

[1] Church of Truth refers to a community of ministries in the United States, founded in 1913. Dr. Albert C. Grier founded his first Church of the Truth in 1913 in Washington State in the town of Spokane. This was the first of 22 Churches of Truth founded by him in the early 20th Century. His aim was to create a place which would heal the total human, mind, body and soul, and thus create a full awakening of the Christ within.

The Church of Truth was part of the New Thought movement. The Church of Truth has a vision:

"We are inclusive community of Christ centered, prosperous healing ministries, which through affirmative prayer and support, empower all people to awaken the Christ within."

The Church of Truth, Pasadena, CA
Our Vision

“Live the Light...

Give the Light...

Bring Heaven to Earth Everyday”.




[2] de novo is a Latin expression meaning "from the beginning," "afresh," "anew," "beginning again."

[3]The Rev. Erma W. Wells was the assistant minister for Dr. Grier, and later became the senior minister. She became well known in the Spokane community in the early 1900's and onward to her retirement in 1947. She was the first woman minister in Spokane, had a lively radio ministry, wrote several books and plays, and ministered to her large congregation for over 35 years. She established the University of Metaphysics, a viable ministerial school for many years, licensed to ordain Church of Truth ministers under Washington State Laws.

Healing without a license.

Rev. William John Murray(1865-1925) had an unusual background. A man of short, square build, with black hair, a frank, open face and a very forceful, positive delivery; there was yet an air of gentleness and spirituality about him. In 1896 he was married to Ms. Sara Van Alen Pollard and entered business with his brother in Santa Barbara. Within a short time Mrs. Murray became seriously ill and her case was pronounced hopeless by the best physicians available, different climates and methods of cure having failed, as well as orthodox prayers. She was then restored to health by Christian Science. This healing so impressed the Murrays that they decided to make a study of this new means of cure and to devote their lives to activities along that line.

In order to enlarge their scope of ministering to the needy the Murrays removed to New York in 1902. He also had studied with Emma Curtis Hopkins and was ordained by Nona Brooks [Divine Science] before undertaking independent metaphysical work in New York. As they had lost children of their own, they meanwhile adopted several. They also assumed charge of, and healed scores of children, absolutely sacrificing their time and substance for this purpose. They learned of an abandoned baby on Randall's Island who was declared hopeless by the city authorities. According to medical diagnosis, it was blind, scrofulous, and had curvature of the spine. Nurses refused to touch it. The Murrays brought this child to their home. It was healed and made every whit whole and perfect.

He attracted a large number of people who came to him for healing, and it is said that he was so intent on study that he read books as he walked on the sidewalks of New York.

In August 1907, with seven friends, Mr. and Mrs. Murray organized the "Society for the Study of Divine Metaphysics." The object of the group was to understand and to apply the Truth as taught and practiced by Jesus in the overcoming of sin and the healing of disease. In other words, it was an effort to re-establish what might be called Apostolic Christianity.

The Society almost at once outgrew its initial meeting place, a dining room adjacent to the elevated railroad where, every few minutes, the talk had to be suspended while the train passed. Successive assembly places - nine in number until they achieved a significant attendance which justified their entry into the Hotel Astor. They incurred a continual expansion and the necessity of meeting an ever increasing rental and these heavy responsibility fell upon Mrs. Murray when other means of assessment failed.

About this time our Society was incorporated as a church under the New York laws, of the denomination of Divine Science. The name of the organization itself was adopted, at the suggestion of Mrs. Murray, as the Church of the Healing Christ.

In the early days of his work, the metaphysical movement was subject to hostility from the medical profession, and on one occasion, in December 1915, Dr. Murray was arrested, by two undercover NYPD detectives who observed him praying over an individual for healing (N.Y. Times, Dec. 17, 1915), and put into jail for practicing without a medical license. Having drawn many prominent persons into the movement, including attorneys, he was soon released, and there was no recurrence of this kind.

This action by the District Attorney evoked much discussion and wide editorial comment and also public protests from prominent persons. The outcome of the case was the vindication of the individual's right to seek healing through prayer by those qualified to give such aid. Judge Breen eventually acquitted Mr. Murray of the charge and established the right of a member of a church, with spiritual healing as one of its tenets, to practice healing according to that method.

Those who had the privilege of hearing our pastor's first talk after he was bailed out of the Tombs, where he had been confined for several hours for this alleged crime, know he never in after years surpassed the spiritual heights which he reached on that occasion of our Wednesday evening meeting in the Hotel Majestic. His face was glorified by courage and faith and love as he exhorted us at all times to "fear not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord."

Soon after this excellent advertisement the seating capacity of the Astor was inadequate and the church moved to the grand ball room of the Waldorf Astoria, where it remained.

His Waldorf lectures were taken down in shorthand and became the substance of many books, and it was reported that ministers of evangelical churches frequently attended in the effort to learn his method of reinterpreting the Scriptures.

Rev. Nona Brooks took charge of Rev. Murray's work in New York for several months in the summer of 1917 while Rev. John Murray was in London taking the work of Judge Thomas Troward. Nona Brooks loved New York, and at Dr. Murray's request the center there has been given permission by The Denver College to be called The First Divine Science Church of New York City as well as its secondary name, The Church of the Healing Christ.

At his passing he was succeeded for a time by Dr. A.C. Grier and Emmet Fox eventually succeeded him.

"The Master Christian"

Henry Victor Morgan was born in 1865. Henry Morgan was widely known as a metaphysical preacher of the early 20th century. Henry Morgan and his wife published "The Master Christian" from the early 1920s until his wife's death in 1931. After that it was published only intermittently. He was minister to the Church of the Healing Christ in Tacoma, Washington, until 1952. In 1912 Henry Victor Morgan took the pulpit. He changed the church allegiance from Universalist to Divine Science and the name of the church to Church of the Healing Christ. He died in 1952.

Park Universalist Church 1893-1925
at the present site 1904-1925
Church of the Healing Christ 1926-1979
Church of Religious Science Center for Spiritual Living 1980-Present

Rev. Victor Henry Morgan of Tacoma, Washington, a Universalist pastor in good standing, preaches from his pulpit the New Thought philosophy, and practises mental healing; but prefers to stay in the organization to which he belongs.
“A History of the New Thought Movement” by Horatio W. Dresser [1919].

"There comes to my heart more and more
This infinite spirit of trust,
That in spite of all earth-seeming wrongs,
The universe ever is just.
"No matter how heavy the load, nor how bitter
the trials we have known,
Though broken and crushed in the dust,
We are reaping just what we have sown.''
Henry Victor Morgan

The convention of 1912 was held in Los Angeles. Mr. Douglass, in sending out the call for this convention, stated that all New Thought societies were cordially invited to send delegates, pointing out that the invitation applied to all bodies holding similar views, "though they may not adopt the same name. . . . This is the first time that the East and the West come together in a mutual understanding and fellowship, for a larger and more aggressive propagandism; and marked results are looked for."
The meetings of the convention began June 25 and continued until June 30. The subjects for the chief sessions were, The Divine Man, The Resurrecting Power, Unity, Joy and Beauty, Peace; and the speakers included Myra G. Frenyear[1], William Farwell, Harriet Hale Rix, Alfred Tomson, Harry Gaze, Clinton A. Billig, Henry Frank, Mrs. M. E. T. Chapin, C. Josephine Barton, Anna. W. Mills, James Porter Mills, A. P. Barton, and Henry Victor Morgan.
A History of the New Thought Movement by Horatio W. Dresser [1919]

“Today on the heights I stand Above the sea of thought,
And look o’er the changing drift At the baubles for which men fought;
That slip through their clinging hands And ever remain uncaught,
Unchained through the drift of years They float o’er the surface clear;
And forever warm hands reach out As the illusions of draw near:
Till the weary hands reach out As the illusions of life draw near:
Toady on the heights I stand Where God’s winds sing lullaby,
And no more reach for the gleam Of the baubles for which men die –
For I reach to the heart of God And master of fate am I.”

~ HENRY VICTOR MORGAN

[1]

·         SAN DIEGO-House of Blessing, 2109 1nd. St., Myra G. Frenyear, Master Mind Magazine, April 1912 to September 1912  By Annie Rix Militz

House of Blessing (Higher Thought) — 2109 Second, Myra G. Frenyear, minister. Full text of "San Diego City and County Directory - 1911"  "San Diego City and County Directory - 1912"

·         Frenyear, Myra G Suite 2, 17 Durham St., Boston, Mass. Mass.) Universal peace congress (13th : 1904 : Boston. Official report of the thirteenth Universal peace congress, held at Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A., October third to eighth, 1904. Reported by William J. Rose, Boston. Ed. by the secretary of the congress . (page 39 of 41)

Frenyear, Miss Myra G., Associated Charities, Boston.  

Full text of "General exercises : of the International Congress of Charities, Correction and Philanthropy, Chicago, June, 1893 ; together with a list of officers and members, programme and rules"