Glass. 
 Book, 
 
 02/LL 
 
 Copyright^ .. 
 
 COPYRIGHT DEPOSm 
 
MRS. DELIA H. HORN 
 
TIMELY AID 
 
 BY 
 
 DELIA H. HORN 
 
 <#b 
 
 THE AUSTIN PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 
 ROCHESTER, N. Y. 
 MCMIX 
 

 f uv> 
 
 Copyrighted 1909 
 
 by 
 Delia H. Horn 
 
 LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
 Two Cooies Received 
 
 JUN 24 1WU» 
 
 //Copyrisnt Entry 
 GLASS 0. XXc «,. 
 
 cqfy' qV 
 
PREFACE 
 
 This book briefly tells its office, or mission, fn the fol- 
 lowing lines : 
 
 Teach me to soothe the .helpless orphan's grief, 
 With timely aid the widow's woes assuage, 
 
 To Misery's moaning cries yield relief, 
 And be the sure resource of drooping age. 
 
 It would keep before the mind of the reader these 
 words of St. James ; "Pure religion and undefiled be- 
 fore God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and 
 widows in their affliction, and to keep himself un- 
 spotted from the world." 
 
 This book is most hopefully addressed to the reader 
 who will say : 
 
 Let me be free to scan the universe of life; 
 Free from all creeds, church rules and strife ; 
 Free to seek in nature's realms of light, 
 For truth to guide my wandering steps aright. 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 IF THE REx\DER of this book is searching only for 
 the loftiest thought and noblest sentiment, ex- 
 pressed in faultless diction and colored by the 
 artistic play of the imagination, he will be disap- 
 pointed in the work. There is little or no attempt on 
 the part of the author to display her descriptive powers, 
 indulge in word-painting, or rise into lofty themes of 
 philosophy and speculation. 
 
 The story is a plain narrative taken from the "short 
 an,d simple annals of the poor" ; but it is permeated 
 throughout with human interest, disclosing, as it does, 
 the ever-recurring struggle of human minds and hearts 
 against adverse conditions, and weaving into the thread 
 of the narration, with deftness and skill, the Charm 
 of Romance, the Pathos of Sorrow, the Tragedy of 
 Death, the Problem of the After-Life, the Intercom- 
 munion of mortals and spirits, and the subject of mag- 
 netic and spiritual healing, as re-discovered, practised 
 and proclaimed by modern Spiritualism. 
 
 On the historic and logical relations between modern 
 Spiritualism and Christian Science, the discussions 
 between the leading characters of the book are very 
 full, interesting and instructive. In fact, in the whole 
 realm of present-day literature the writer knows no 
 other work which contains so much of real instructive 
 fact and argument on the relations between Christian 
 Science and Spiritualism as is presented in this story. 
 
 The narrative is a most valuable one in that it is 
 descriptive of the mental evolution through w T hich all 
 thinkers of to-day are passing — the slow but sure 
 
6 TIMELY AID 
 
 emergence of the human mind to-day from Tradition- 
 alism into the wider thought and hope of our times. 
 
 This change from the old-time conceptions of life, 
 death and the future state to the clearer, wider and 
 more scientific views of to-day — from Faith to Knowl- 
 edge — is here witnessed in the principal characters of 
 the story. 
 
 This book will stimulate thought, promote investi- 
 gation and prove, indeed, a "Timely Aid" to multitudes 
 in this age of mental unrest. 
 
 Its testimony to the fact and power of metaphysical 
 healing is strong and convincing. 
 
 B. F. Austin. 
 
TIMELY AID 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 "There Is No Death." 
 
 All that's bright must fade, 
 
 The brightest still the fleetest : 
 All that's sweet was made 
 To be lost when sweetest. 
 
 THESE were the words most bitterly murmured by 
 the Rev. John Bell as he stood looking out on 
 the fading day. The young man's pale face and 
 trembling, clenched hands told plainly that 
 something very precious indeed had gone out of his 
 life. 
 
 On this damp, cold, dark day his beautiful accom- 
 plished and Christian wife had been carried to the 
 cemetery on the hill, not far away, and there, by the 
 side of father and mother, consigned to her last, long 
 resting place. Their many friends had stood sym- 
 pathetically and helpfully by in this hour of trial, 
 regardless of creed. 
 
 John Bell was a Methodist clergyman, and his wife 
 had acted as organist and was one of the shining lights 
 in the Church. A brother minister had addressed them 
 from the text, "The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken 
 away;" often repeating, "Whom the Lord loveth He 
 chasteneth." And the white casket bearing within 
 God's beautiful, spotless lily had been lowered, never 
 more to be seen by those who had adored the still, cold, 
 white form within. 
 
10 TI M ELY AID 
 
 Our young friend had returned, with a few of the 
 loving floral gifts, to his desolate home where for two 
 happy, cloudless years his girl wife had ever met him 
 with sunny smiles. 
 
 His tears ceased to flow, but oh, the pain of that 
 heart ! 
 
 "Home! must I call this home?" he resentfully 
 moaned. "Everything here speaks of Alice." 
 
 He ceased pacing the floor, and stepped to the 
 piano — a reminder of her pretty hand and her bird- 
 like voice. Then he gently closed the instrument, think- 
 ing "O My God ! I cannot get away from Alice. I 
 do not know that I want to. Here upon my feet are 
 the slippers her little white hands embroidered for me. 
 Kind Clara — God bless the child — sees that I prefer to 
 be alone ; so she has placed my supper upon this stand. 
 But it's all Alice's hand-painted china and hemstitched 
 linen. Even these preserves were prepared by her." 
 
 With the lump in his throat, tea must remain un- 
 touched. He turned to the sofa and reverently took in 
 his hands the satin pillow with its' wreath of blue for- 
 get-me-nots — so delicate, so characteristic, of the wife 
 now sleeping up there in the churchyard. 
 
 "Forget-me-nots ! Sweet Alice, I need no such re- 
 minder — never, never can I forget you, dear, though I 
 live to be three-score and ten. You were my first 
 love — my all. I don't know how I am going to live 
 without you. 
 
 "They tell me my loss is your gain. Yes ; you have 
 gone to be with Jesus — you are now with those many 
 dear ones who came beckoning to you in your last, 
 hours promising to accompany and to row your frail 
 bark over Jordan. But, O Alice, you have left me ! 
 
 Those who have passed through similar experiences 
 try to assure me that Time will heal. I wish I could be- 
 lieve it." 
 
TIMELY AID 11 
 
 Thousands have gone through the same heart-break- 
 ing that John Bell was suffering. How long, O my 
 Heavenly Father, — how long e're this prophecy shall 
 be fulfilled: "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is 
 death." 
 
 When may we look for the Millennial Dawn, when 
 "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ; and 
 there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor cry- 
 ing, neither shall there be any more pain : for the for- 
 mer things have passed away." 
 
 Rev. John Bell had preached to others and had. 
 quoted the words, "The Lord gave and the Lord hath 
 taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord." Xow 
 he realized the truth of the maxim, "It is easier to 
 preach than to practice." Could he in this hour say, 
 "God's will be done"? 
 
 Grief had spent itself somewhat and the pastor felt 
 it his duty, as had been his custom, to read a passage 
 of Scripture and kneel in prayer. 
 
 His head ached. The weary man faintly hoped that 
 he might realize the promise, "God giveth His" beloved 
 sleep," and he opened the Book at random, trusting to 
 meet with something comforting and fitting to the oc- 
 casion. 
 
 Then his eyes fell upon these strange words — and 
 they were new to him — "God is not the God of the 
 dead, but of the living." They were to turn the 
 reader's thoughts into a new channel. 
 
 John had always supposed that one must die in order 
 to* reach God and Heaven. Yet here it sounded as 
 though He were not the God of those who passed 
 through death's gateway, but the God of the living. 
 
 It was now morning, and John, in the grip of that 
 depression that follows acute suffering, felt too de- 
 pressed to reason the point. He rested his aching head 
 
12 TIMELY AID 
 
 upon his hands, closed his eyes and seemingly fell 
 asleep. 
 
 Was he asleep ? How vivid, how real was his dream ! 
 
 He seemed to hear gentle footsteps. Then some one 
 came near and bent over him. A sweet, low voice — 
 strangely familiar — said, "John, you need not be so 
 heavy laden. I have this message for you. A little 
 while ago you were somewhat puzzled over a verse of 
 Scripture. Dear, it has been demonstrated to me that 
 these words of Longfellow are true: 'There is no 
 death.' 
 
 "It is just as the Bible declares : 'All live unto Him ;' 
 and the words we heard at the grave this afternoon 
 are indeed true — 'Death is swallowed up in victory/ 
 
 Then there w r as the rustle of a dress, the door closed, 
 and John was alone. 
 
 He opened his eyes and looked about him. Had he 
 heard a 'ghost' ? How preposterous ! But the voice he 
 had heard; it was a familiar voice — very familiar; but 
 it was not, he decided, that of his wife or any other de- 
 parted loved one. 
 
 He knew, of course, that all the dead were silent. 
 Yet he could not consider the experience a dream. His 
 sister-in-law must have been in the room, essaying to 
 comfort him. The voice was, somehow, much like 
 Tiers. 
 
 Whether real or imaginary, something had exerted 
 its consoling, quieting influence upon him ; and for this 
 John gave thanks. "The maid is not dead, but sleep- 
 •eth," he murmured ; and he no longer mourned as one 
 without hope. Timely aid had lifted him where he 
 could say and feel, "The kingdom of Heaven is neither 
 lo here nor lo there ; the kingdom of Heaven is within 
 you." 
 
 But who could have been his consoler? On second 
 thought he knew that it could not have been Edward's 
 
TIMELY AID 13 
 
 wife he had heard quoting Scripture ; for according to 
 report, Anna was not a Christian but a woman of the 
 world — a skeptic — as was his poor unsaved brother ! 
 
 Brief had been his acquaintance with Anna. Edward 
 and she had come from their distant home in Roch- 
 ester, N. Y., to attend the funeral of John's wife, whom 
 they had never seen in life. Over the form of this 
 faded flower they had offered the bereaved brother 
 and his motherless babe a home with them. 
 
 The welcome was so earnest and genuine that he had 
 accepted it. There seemed to be no alternative. Brother 
 Edward was his only near relative. Alone he might 
 have fought life's battles without a place to call home; 
 but Alice had left this charge — the baby that had been 
 the pride and joy of their young lives. The baby must 
 have a home ; and so it was decided that Anna should 
 be its foster mother. 
 
 Tears of joy and grief had saddened her eyes as, 
 clasping the little girl to her heart, she looked back to 
 her own home, where she had left a little empty cradle 
 and a drawer of carefully folded, dainty garments that 
 were once worn by her own baby now dwelling in the 
 Summer Land. She lifted her heart in thankfulness to 
 God that He had so ordained that supply and demand 
 ever wait upon each other. 
 
 Could our young clergyman have read the thoughts 
 of his guest, as even his Master read the thoughts of 
 the woman he met at the well, his verdict would not 
 have been, "She is net a Christian." On the contrary, 
 he would have esteemed her as "One who possesses 
 a comforting, satisfying religion ; one who continually 
 walks out on the promises and sees a silver lining to 
 every cloud.'' 
 
 But John Bell was in great ignorance. He was 
 reluctant to acknowledge, even to himself, that his 
 brother and sister were Atheists, and yet he felt that 
 
14 TI M ELY AID 
 
 they were. As is often the case, he was entertaining 
 angels unawares. 
 
 Was the voice he had heard only a dream? If so, 
 from whence had come the clipping he found lying on 
 the table? He had never seen it before. It contained 
 these words, written by Margaret Richard: 
 
 Two cold hands folded on a breast; 
 
 A silent form laid away to rest; 
 
 A sob, a prayer; God, is it best? 
 
 This is not death. 
 
 A heart toward things it loved grown cold; 
 A soul with not the faith of old ; 
 A life with worthiness all told. 
 This I count death. 
 
 Now did John begin to understand the sense of the 
 words — u God is not the God of the dead, but of the 
 living." It came to him as a new thought, that it was 
 not the death of organic matter that was precious in 
 the sight of the Lord ; but that when a man obeyed the 
 Scriptural admonition and was found "Dead unto sin 
 and alive unto righteousness/' there was the one who 
 had experienced a death precious in God's sight. And 
 ^'precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his 
 saints," was not, when taken figuratively, a direct con- 
 tradiction to that other verse, "I have no pleasure in 
 the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God. 
 Wherefore turn yourselves and live ye." 
 
 Not one hour ago we found John wishing that he 
 might die and take his place by the side of the dear 
 companion. But timely aid has wrought a change ; and 
 now he is repeating, in the words of a prophet of old, 
 "I shall not die, but live to declare the works of the 
 Lord." 
 
 Feeling that his was not a life with the worthiness 
 all told, but that God still had a work for him to do, 
 
TIMELY AID 15 
 
 he carefully moved toward the cradle where lay inno- 
 cently and peacefully sleeping the motherless child ; and 
 there he tenderly whispered, "Baby, I fancy I hear 
 your mamma singing, as I so often have in time past, 
 her favorite lullaby: 
 
 Hush, my babe. Lie still and slumber ; 
 Holy angels guard thy bed. 
 
 Yes ; someone had sung this little one to sleep that 
 very night, not looking upon the words of the song 
 as mere sentiment, or as having therein more than a 
 blind faith : but trusting with absolute certainty born 
 of knowledge and understanding, that holy angels did 
 guard that bed. 
 
 The singer had pressed the child to her heart and 
 whispered, in accents vibrating with peace, "Little one, 
 your Mamma sleeps. But have no fear ; she will — she 
 has awakened — from out that strange, deep sleep called 
 death. Spirit — the all of man — is immortal ; it can 
 never be blotted out of being, or taste one drop of bitter 
 death. 
 
 "And, Little Girl, heed what Auntie now tells you. 
 Do not grow up repeating the story of life-everlasting, 
 simply because others, those in whom you have con- 
 fidence — no wiser, perhaps, than yourself on the sub- 
 ject — have told it. But 'Prove all things ; hold fast 
 that which is good/ Many are ready to say, 'Man lives 
 after death/ but few can do as the Bible admonishes: 
 *Be ready always to give an answer to every man that 
 asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you/ 
 
 "We may say we believe in everlasting life ; but how 
 are we to know? 'Seeing is believing'; there is no 
 other way. 
 
 "There is no death ; what is so called is but an event 
 in our eternal life. Some day all the world will know 
 this blessed truth." 
 
16 TIMELY AID 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 Bereft of Home. 
 
 ABOUT twenty years before this story opens Wil- 
 liam Bell, an educated and good though not a 
 pious man, and the father of the brothers, John 
 and Edward, had seen the advantage of possess- 
 ing timber land in northern Michigan, where resided 
 his only sister and her family. 
 
 Accordingly, with his wife and two sons, Edward, 
 the black-eyed picture of his father, and John, the blue- 
 eyed picture of his mother, aged respectively ten and 
 fourteen years, Mr. Bell left his home, near Rochester, 
 N. Y., for what was then considered "out west." 
 
 One evening the two lads w 7 ere sitting outside the 
 door of their rude home. It was a hot, smoky, breezy 
 night; no pan of coals was needed to keep away the 
 tormenting mosquitoes, for the woods were on fire, 
 furnishing plenty of smoke. 
 
 The boys had been assured that the clearing sur- 
 rounding them was so large that, with the river be- 
 tween, no immediate danger from the raging flames 
 need be anticipated. Naturally sympathetic, they felt 
 the troubles of others ; and their little hearts weighed 
 heavily. 
 
 It was something more to-night than the song of 
 the frog or th^ after-effects of ague, that made them 
 feel so sad and homesick. At first the burning forest 
 had impressed them as something most beautiful to 
 gaze upon ; but now, for days the sun had been dark- 
 ened, almost hidden, and the blood-red glare of the 
 moon seemed to tell a pitiful story of the destruction 
 being wrought about them. 
 
TIMELY AID 17 
 
 The whole neighborhood was in excitement. Within 
 a few miles, men, women and children were perishing, 
 and whole families were being swept off the earth; 
 nothing could be done to save them. A few of the 
 settlers were fortunate enough to escape through the 
 blinding smoke and over the blistering earth, to find 
 refuge in the lakes ; and blood-curdling were the 
 stories told of the fate of thousands of animals which 
 had been left disfigured and maimed, suffering agonies 
 worse than death. To-night the boys were more than 
 ever impressed with the unhappiness so near them, for 
 they had attended a funeral that afternoon. 
 
 Homes were few and far between, and people living 
 five, eight, and even ten miles away were considered 
 neighbors. 
 
 One of these neighbors had brought the bones of 
 his family in a little box, all that remained of his wife 
 and four children, to the church down at the "Cor- 
 ners." And the boys had listened to a sermon from the 
 text: "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken 
 away." They could not drive the man's sad, tearless 
 face from their thoughts. 
 
 Although their parents had many times reassured 
 them with the words, "There is no danger here," the 
 father and mother thought well to take precautions, 
 and the observing children could see they were always 
 busy doing something that might act as a preventive ; 
 such as tearing down fences and covering the hay- 
 stack with wet blankets. 
 
 After a long time of silent meditation, Edward broke 
 the spell by saving something that was not intended 
 to sound irreverent or funny. It came out in his quick, 
 impulsive manner: "I believe God is an Indian !" 
 Then John, astounded at his brother's ignorance, 
 thought he would enlighten him, and he replied : 
 
 "Why, you know the Bible says God was a 'Sheeny.' " 
 
18 TIMELY AID 
 
 "Do you mean a Jew?" questioned Edward. 
 "Yes." 
 
 "That was Jesus — a man of Jerusalem," Edward 
 asserted. 
 
 "Well he was God, was'nt he?" 
 
 "Ma thinks so, but Pa says he was'nt ? " Edward re- 
 plied. "He did'nt claim to be ; but told the people not 
 to bow down to him : 'Why call ye me good ? there is 
 none good but one, and that is God.' He often spoke 
 of himself as 'The son of man. 7 Pa says he certainly 
 was a good example of perfect manhood. Yet when 
 men pray to him and say, 'Dear Lord Jesus, do this, 
 and do that for us/ they forget that he told us, 'When 
 ye pray say : Our Father which art in Heaven/ He 
 says they are no nearer right than the Catholics are 
 when they pray to the Virgin Mary and the other 
 saints. And say! while we're talking; now maybe 
 the Catholics do give this woman an awful lot of 
 adoration. Probably it is'nt right to worship her ; but 
 on the other hand, while Protestants seem to have 
 nothing against her, when do we ever go into a 
 Protestant church and hear her spoken of? How 
 many of their books refer to her? They are all car- 
 ried away with her son — I often think of how the 
 angels came to Mary and foretold his birth. God must 
 have deemed her most worthy. And it may be, if she 
 and Joseph had'nt set a good example, and brought him 
 up in the way he should go, that boy would'nt have 
 been quite so perfect ; though he was without sin, it 
 is written. 'He was tempted like as we are/ I love 
 the holy mother of Jesus ; but Til never worship either. 
 
 "Pa says he rather admires the Jews for their obedi- 
 ence to the first command : 'Thou shalt have no other 
 gods before me/ " 
 
 "That's all right," agreed John. "But we can pray 
 
T I M ELY AID 19 
 
 to Jesus. He tells us, 'Whatsoever things ye ask in my 
 name, that shall ye receive/ " 
 
 "Yes ;" said Edward. "One of the names Jesus took 
 upon himself was the 'Son of God ;' but he always de- 
 clared he was our elder brother, and that we were joint- 
 heirs with him. So I, too, am a child of a King. Jesus 
 seemed even to have come back from the grave to 
 repeat the fact that he was just a man among men, 
 that all men were God's children. Telling Mary Mag- 
 dalene, 'Go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend 
 unto my Father and your Father ; and to my God and 
 your God/ 
 
 "If you and I were to approach God in the name of 
 sons of God, naturally we should expect to receive 
 because of this very relationship and 'According to 
 your faith be it unto you/ " 
 
 John could see no way of arguing against his 
 brother's points, and so, wisely, did not try. 
 
 Then changing the tenor of the conversation, John 
 went back, and asked him what he meant by liken- 
 ing God to an Indian. 
 
 "'Well/' said Edward, "I thought of it all the while 
 the preacher was talking. You remember that squaw 
 that came here, and after mother had given her dinner, 
 and purchased some of her bead-work, she held out a 
 pretty basket and said : 'Here take this, pale face 
 squaw, always good and kind to redman's tribe/ 
 
 "Mother was delighted and filled it with her needle- 
 work; but the next time the old woman called, right 
 before her face and eyes she deliberately emptied that 
 basket and took it away. 
 
 "Hannah Bailey was there at the time, and how she 
 laughed at poor mother's chagrin ! I remember she 
 said : 'Well, Susan Bell, when you have lived among 
 the Indians as long as we have you will know their 
 ways better. They think nothing of taking back a gift. 
 
20 TIMELY AID 
 
 One of these good redmen gave my husband a pony 
 last summer; but it was only a brief time until the 
 giver came and took it away/ " 
 
 Johnny's thoughtful face looked away at the burn- 
 ing timber ; he did not like this comparison, and felt it 
 imperative to say something in defense of his God. 
 Suddenly his face brightened, and with a quick note 
 of delight in his voice he exclaimed : 
 
 "I have it ! We would get the exact meaning if it 
 read: 'God gave the good and took away the evil." 
 Was'nt it St. James who said, 'Every good and perfect 
 gift is from above and cometh down from the Father 
 of Lights with whom is no variableness neither shadow 
 of turning/ God gave that poor man life and happi- 
 ness. He did not take away his treasures ; but will 
 take from him the sting of death. If God is love, He 
 must be ever ready to take sin and suffering out of our 
 lives ; but nothing else." 
 
 Compared with that of a child, man's philosophy is 
 often very lame. "Verily, a little child shall lead them." 
 
 While Edward never forgot John Bell in after years, 
 we regret that he lost sight of the fact that God was 
 the author of peace only. 
 
 "If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the 
 ditch." The church has blinded many. 
 
 Our little boys were at last weary enough to accept 
 of their bed and sleep. Early next morning they heard 
 their mother's cheerful voice calling, "Wake up, chil- 
 dren, and see it rain. God has answered our prayers 
 at last; and if only this rain keeps on pouring, this 
 fearful destruction of. life and property will soon end." 
 
 A few minutes later they were blinded by a chain of 
 lightning and deafened by a clap of most terrific thun- 
 der. 
 
 The father was out attending to the chores, and 
 when the first awful shock was over and they found 
 
TIMELY AID 21 
 
 voice, some one tremblingly exclaimed, "Oh, we must 
 look and see if the barn was struck!" 
 
 The mother sprang through the door, only to fall 
 by the side of her husband's prostrate form at the 
 foot of the steps. 
 
 The lightning had not harmed either the house or 
 barn, but it had done its deadly work on the mortal 
 form of this most kind and indulgent father. 
 
 Whether it was lightning which also killed the 
 mother, or whether the sudden shock of her loss caused 
 the frail, delicate woman's heart to cease beating, no 
 one ever knew. 
 
 As no answer came from either and both were deaf 
 to the appeals of their crying children, hope left them 
 at last and the bitter fact dawned upon them that their 
 parents were dead. 
 
 The children's fears were confirmed ; the hearts had 
 ceased their beating, and the forms were growing cold. 
 
 For days they had prayed for rain. Tell us, was 
 this answer to prayer? The rainbow with its seven 
 beautiful colors spanned the sky ; but it seemed only 
 to mock them. They could not accept it as the "bow 
 of promise." 
 
 Never was there a truer saying, "We do not miss the 
 water until the well runs dry." These thoughtless boys, 
 who, like other children, had at times shown disposi- 
 tions headstrong, selfish and quarrelsome, never until 
 this hour had realized how much their parents were to 
 them. To say which was the dearer to them would 
 have been impossible — the father, to whom they had 
 looked up with feelings of admiration and pride — and 
 he merited it — or the precious mother at whose knee 
 they had been taught to repeat the psalms, prayers and 
 hymns. 
 
 This mother "who had kissed away all their little 
 hurts and cared for their every want so uncomplain- 
 
22 TIMELY AID 
 
 ingly, was soon to be put out of their sight where 
 they could never see her again. What a dreadful 
 thought. 
 
 As they sat on the ground by their dead, the old 
 black cat came and rubbed against them, and mourn- 
 fully purred as though she would speak her sympathy. 
 
 At last the boys bethought themselves to arise, go 
 through the wood-path, to the nearest neighbor's, a 
 mile away, and inform these kind people of what had 
 happened. 
 
TIME L Y AID 23 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 The Funeral. 
 
 THE greenhouse carnations, ferns and roses that 
 in later years adorned the white velvet, satin- 
 lined casket of John Bell's wife were no more 
 beautiful, nor did they voice one particle more 
 of heart-felt love than did the wildflowers and wood- 
 ferns gathered and arranged by the women and chil- 
 dren of that wild country for the plain black coffin of 
 John Bell's mother. Every flower was wet with tears. 
 
 A neighbor's wagon, drawn by oxen, carried the 
 rough-boxes made by loving hands, over the corduroy 
 road to the new church three miles away, at Stafford's 
 Corners, where there was a community that could not 
 boast of an undertaker, a doctor or a lawyer. 
 
 There were just two men of importance living at 
 the Corners — the minister and the storekeeper. 
 
 The storekeeper, Joe Stafford, was the children's 
 uncle by marriage. He was the superintendent of the 
 Sunday-school, the class-leader, and had great influence 
 in any thing pertaining to the church or to the Corners. 
 
 Uncle Joe, either for his own comfort or for that 
 of some one present, kept quoting Scripture : "All 
 his righteousness that he hath done shall not be men- 
 tioned : in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in 
 his sin that he hath sinned, and in them shall he die." 
 And then he would comment, "This man's sudden call 
 should be a warning to the unsaved in this community." 
 And when the church was reached, the minister 
 seemed to take up the refrain. Every word of the long 
 sermon was lost to the ears of John, who sat through- 
 
24 TI M ELY AID 
 
 out the service bitterly weeping ; and had it' been like- 
 wise unheeded by the elder brother, who sat so still, 
 cold and motionless, perhaps it would have been better. 
 But down throughout all the coming years, there came 
 resounding, whenever Edward would allow it, the 
 thundering voice of the preacher of that day as he 
 stood and expounded the awful doctrine of an endless 
 punishment and a burning hell. 
 
 "Although,'' said the man of God, "this is the sad 
 occasion of a double funeral, as the paths of this father 
 and mother now lead in separate directions it is but 
 fitting that we should choose two texts — one applying 
 to the sister whose loss we all deplore, and the other 
 t£> the man to whom she was united. Every Christian 
 here hopes and prays that these children will ever re- 
 member the precepts and example of their saintly 
 mother, who, we are proud to say, was a member of 
 our church. 
 
 "We hope that in this case 'the sins of the father 
 will not be visited upon the children, even to the third 
 and fourth generation.' 
 
 "As said before ? the Lord directs me to the choosing 
 of two texts. Why? Sister Bell was a member of 
 our church, and had accepted Jesus ; while her com- 
 panion, we are grieved to say, rejected Him who had 
 died upon the Cross.' 1 
 
 This so-called man of God was so eager to proceed 
 with the text and the two-hour sermon he had prepared 
 in memory of this unsaved man, that he forgot en- 
 tirely to announce the other text or to spend any fur- 
 ther time in paying tribute to the children's Christian 
 mother. After the preliminaries had been said, he pro- 
 ceeded to speak, exemplifying the text, "The Lord 
 cometh as a thief in the night." 
 
 The whole sermon consisted of warnings to be saved 
 just now; not to indulge in procrastination; not to fol- 
 
TI M ELY AID 25 
 
 low in the footsteps of this wicked man, etc. The 
 sermonizer lacked anything like an extensive vocab- 
 ulary, or a knowledge of the laws of rhetoric and 
 composition ; but that would have counted as nothing 
 had he not also lacked the three graces, Faith, Hope, 
 and Charity, and especially Charity, 
 
 Edward longed to silence him — to get up and tell 
 the people what a good man his father had always 
 been ; but he knew he would not be granted a hear- 
 ing, so all he could do was to sit in his seat, bite his 
 lips and press his finger nails into his flesh. The 
 preacher had declared that their father denounced the 
 Bible. What a libel ! He had heard his father say in 
 the presence of Elder Smith, that in his opinion there 
 was nothing to be produced, either in ancient or in 
 modern literature, that could excell a few of the 
 Psalms of David or Christ's Sermon on the Mount, 
 the latter of which was a good enough creed for him. 
 He had declared that their father rejected Jesus, when 
 to this very speaker, he had heard his father express 
 himself as follows : "Undoubtedly Jesus was the very 
 best man that ever lived." Now, what more could one 
 man say of another ? 
 
 It was really more than the child could bear to sit 
 and quietly listen to this leader of the people standing 
 over the remains of his dead father and sending him 
 directly down to the infernal regions, and he hoped, 
 in his youthful wrath and indignation, that if there 
 was such a place, the speaker might very soon find it. 
 But gradually the fierce bitterness left his heart, as he 
 seemed to hear the gentle voice of his mother reading, 
 in accents low, the story of the martyred Stephen, and 
 his last, his dying words. 
 
 Oh, the example of this holy man of whom it is 
 written, when the people were stoning him to death 
 because his beliefs differed from theirs : "He kneeled 
 
26 TIMELY AID 
 
 down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this 
 sin to their charge, and when he had said this he fell 
 asleep 1" 
 
 This example of apostolic forgiveness came as timely 
 aid, and quieted the raging tempest within ; but there 
 were many tempests yet to follow. 
 
 The angel mother would guard him through all ; 
 for it is written, "He shall give his angels to keep thee 
 in all thy ways." St. Paul, speaking of the angels in 
 Heaven said : "Are they not all ministering spirits sent 
 forth to minister to those who shall be heirs of salva- 
 tion." 
 
 As Edward followed the loved ones to the grave, 
 he could plainly hear the spirit's ministering voice 
 whispering, "Weep not, my child; father and mother 
 are not there." 
 
 Her mother heart is warm as yore 
 When dwelling on the old earth shore ; 
 Yes, stronger still appears her love 
 Since she has passed to spheres above. 
 
 And mother's heart, with love so warm, 
 Will fly to you in life's cold storm; 
 And as she watched in days of yore, 
 She'll watch your progress ever more. 
 
TIMELY AID 27 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 A Place Called Home. 
 
 AFTER the funeral the children's uncle informed 
 them that henceforth they were to make their 
 home with him. 
 
 He had a family of his own, and with this 
 added expense to him they must not expect to live 
 in idleness. John was so small he might attend school 
 for a while yet, but Ed was of proper age to go to 
 work. 
 
 Without further delay, he secured a place for this 
 boy down at the sawmill, and kept him employed dur- 
 ing the evenings, chopping firewood or waiting on 
 customers in the store. Up at five, and to bed at ten, 
 w r as indeed quite a change for this frail boy, who 
 never before had been called upon to tax his strength 
 or to shoulder a single responsibility. 
 
 The children's Aunt Kate was naturally most kind 
 and sympathetic • but she was one of those good wives 
 who never venture to say that their soul is their 
 own, but are entirely under subjection. She was never 
 allowed to forget such verses of Scripture as, "Let the 
 women keep silence in the churches, and if they would 
 know any thing, let them ask of their husbands at 
 home," and "Let her adorning not be that outward 
 adorning, of plaiting the hair and of wearing of gold, 
 or of putting on of apparel. '" 
 
 Kate since her marriage had never been adorned 
 with jewels, ribbons, flowers or independence. 
 
 Her husband could always meet you with the Bible 
 text. Once, when he had been cruelly beating one of 
 the children with the stove poker, she ventured to 
 
28 TIMELY AID 
 
 remonstrate, but he replied, "Thou shalt rule with a 
 rod of iron/ 7 
 
 To-night they were having a husking-bee over at 
 Spencer's, and Aunt Kate innocently dropped in and 
 watched the young people dance to the tune of the 
 fiddle playing "The Irish Jig" and "The Girl I Left 
 Behind Me." This was a form of amusement in which 
 she had indulged during earlier years. Her pleasant 
 evening terminated with a strong reprimand from her 
 husband, who demanded, "Would you run the risk 
 of losing your chances of Heaven?" 
 
 Edward thought the proper time had come to quote 
 Scripture, and he repeated, "There is a time to weep 
 and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to 
 dance." 
 
 "Who told you to speak?" shouted his uncle. "Go 
 on to bed — without your supper !" 
 
 When he found there his little brother in tears, 
 and learned that he, too, had been sent to bed without 
 a mouthful, simply because he had played ball in- 
 stead of hastening to John Snyder's grass-widow with 
 one of those intrusted notes, he just felt that it was 
 more than he could stand ; and he resolved that some 
 day he would get even. 
 
 The next evening at the church social, as Mrs. Staf- 
 ford jealously watched her husband finding so many 
 precious opportunities to kiss and embrace pretty 
 Myrtle Snyder and the other girls, while playing such 
 harmless games as the "needle's eye" and "blind-man's 
 buff," she could not help questioning whether the 
 dance had been a thing any worse. Think not that all 
 these little things were lost to the bright eye of Ed- 
 ward Bell. 
 
 They always had "family worship" at Uncle Joe's, 
 and never did he hear him praying for the poor and 
 needy that he did not remember the shortage of weight 
 
T I M ELY AID 29 
 
 in the farmer's wife's butter, and the sand so slyly 
 mixed into the brown sugar that was to be weighed 
 and given in return — a thing his father, bad as he was, 
 would have blushed to have done. 
 
 Edward's first great offense was to stay away from 
 church and Sunday-school ; and when he was ques- 
 tioned as to the reason, he promptly replied, "Went 
 fishing." This, of course, was unpardonable; and 
 figuratively speaking, our bad boy was given a good 
 shaking-up over the red-hot coals. 
 
 His griefs were making him rebellious, and he said 
 in answer to his uncle's questioning: "I might be 
 more particular, perhaps, about keeping the Sabbath 
 if I only knew which was the right day — the seventh 
 day of the week or the first day. Adventists tell us 
 that Saturday is the Lord's Day, and that the Catholics 
 had no right to change it." 
 
 Then his uncle in reply thundered, "Don't talk to 
 me about the Adventists. They are not even law-abid- 
 ing citizens, and it would serve them right if they 
 were driven out of every town, tarred and feathered." 
 
 "But," he proceeded, "I know something more about 
 yeu, young man. I came across some dime novels, 
 a pack of cards, and a package of tobacco hidden in 
 the hay ; and Will tells me they are yours. I believe 
 more in persuasion than in prohibition ; but if that 
 won't do the work, we have to try the next best thing. 
 I have destroyed them." 
 
 "Sir," exclaimed Edward, indignantly, "Will knows 
 who those things belong to; they were never mine." 
 
 "Don't you dare to insinuate," cried his uncle, "that 
 my boy lies. And if he did become intoxicated on 
 the jug of communion wine, you led him into it. Xo ; 
 my boy did not lie about this. He is a Christian." 
 
 "Ha, ha! a chip of the old block," said Edward; 
 
30 TIMELY AID 
 
 and for this jibe the impudent boy received a stagger- 
 ing blow that made him see stars. 
 
 The following Sunday found him obediently in his 
 place in the Sunday-school class. With bitterness in 
 his heart he listened to the cottage organ. Once it had 
 belonged to his mother ; she was one of the few in that 
 community who had possessed indications of better 
 days — such as silverware, easy rockers, a sewing 
 machine and this organ. How did the church come by 
 the organ? His uncle had presented it and received a 
 vote of thanks for the gift. But then, even the church 
 itself was stolen property. Had he not heard his 
 father tell how this church was erected? It had been 
 contributed to by people coming from various and 
 numerous organizations, with the understanding that 
 it was to be in effect a Union church. But when the 
 day of dedication had come the presiding elder was 
 there, and the building was dedicated in the name of 
 Methodism. If some of its most liberal donators had 
 desired a speaker of their own denominations there, 
 the Methodists would have locked the doors. As for 
 the rest of William Bell's personal and real estate, 
 whatever their uncle did not desire to keep, he had 
 sold at auction ; and Edward had faintly hoped that the 
 stock and other things would bring enough so that he 
 might take his little brother and return to their eastern 
 home, feeling confident that he would there find friends 
 and employment. 
 
 Edward looked forward to growing tall and strong, 
 able to care for and educate John. But he was 
 doomed to disappointment. Uncle Joe deposited the 
 proceeds into the depths of his own pocket, and also 
 the proceeds from the lumber, as it was taken from 
 their father's acres. He explained to his wife that now 
 he was the boy's guardian ; later, when they should 
 become of age, of course they would have it all back. 
 
TIMELY AID 31 
 
 On this particular Sunday, Edward discussed the 
 lesson more thoroughly than usual. He commented 
 on the verse : "I form the light and create darkness, 
 I make peace and create evil ; I, the Lord, do all these 
 things." 
 
 "It doesn't seem to me," said the boy, "that God 
 would boast of having created evil, and to claim that 
 He did create it, is to go back on the first chapter of 
 Genesis, where it is written : 'God looked upon all 
 that He had made, and behold it w T as very good, and 
 His w r ork was finished.' 
 
 "Now this is the way I look at it," continued the boy. 
 "We know that the good in Christianity will set house- 
 holds at variance ; for Jesus said, 'Think not that I have 
 come to bring peace on the earth, but a sword' ; and . 
 nevertheless He deserves the title 'Prince of Peace.' 
 When the Wesleys and other circuit riders, for exam- 
 ple, went into a community and preached, the good 
 aroused the antagonistic spirit, and they were 
 stoned, rotten-egged, etc. ; as were also Luther and his 
 followers, and the peaceful Quakers and others. But I 
 must say I do not believe that God ever created evil." 
 
 "God certainly created all things," replied his teach- 
 ed. "And I must reprove you for not taking the Bible 
 as it reads. I would rather never exercise my reason- 
 ing powers, than to be guilty of doubting one word 
 contained in that blessed Book. We have no right to 
 place our own interpretation upon this divinely inspired 
 work. Some things we cannot quite understand, but 
 they belong to the mysteries of godliness." 
 
 "Well, it is my desire to understand the Scriptures," 
 asserted our young philosopher ; and then he pro- 
 pounded another question : "Now I cannot under- 
 stand why, if Jesus was God come down to earth, He 
 reproved the people by saying : 'Why call ye me good? 
 there is but one good and that is God.' ' 
 
32 TIMELY AID 
 
 The teacher explained, to his own satisfaction if not 
 to the boy's, "Jesus answered his own question: 'Be- 
 cause there is but one good, and that is God/ " How 
 inconsistent ! Doing just what he had a moment before 
 condemned in his pupil. 
 
 Before the discussions were finished, Edw T ard made 
 an unwise announcement. 
 
 Their father had now been dead more than a year, 
 and the boy could speak of him without blinding tears. 
 
 "I believe/' he said, "as my father used to say : 
 'While the Bible contains much truth, it is possible that 
 it also contains some error/ " 
 
 At this the teacher turned upon him : "Never men- 
 tion to me again your father's infidel beliefs — especially 
 not in the presence of my young class. Evidently you 
 are inclined to tread in his footsteps ; and unless you 
 accept of a change of heart, and receive the new birth, 
 I fear you will go to that same place." 
 
 The boy ? in his injured rage, would have struck his 
 teacher, but there came to him timely aid ; he seemed to 
 feel the gentle but firm clasp of his mother's hand and 
 to hear her sweet voice remonstrating. "My child, re- 
 member the time and place. Remember your good 
 teacher's honorable gray hairs, and have respect for old 
 age, at least." 
 
 During the long winter evenings there were held 
 revival or protracted meetings. Will and other "back- 
 sliders" made a fresh start in religion, renewing their 
 vows ; and little John went forward with the other con- 
 verts, influenced by the shouting, moaning, clapping of 
 hands and earnest pleading to "come and be washed in 
 the blood of the Lamb." The congregation made the 
 meeting-house ring, as midst "Aniens" and "Hallelu- 
 jas" they joyously sang: 
 
TIMELY AID 33 
 
 Oh, I feel so happy I would like to shout; 
 Religion has turned me inside out. 
 There's a long white robe on the golden strand — 
 Lord, I'll be there when the great day comes. 
 
 But our young, hardened sinner was not hypnotized 
 into seeking God's pardon at the anxious seat and the 
 mourner's bench. Nor was he influenced by the sing- 
 ing of such beautiful and inspiring hymns as : 
 
 Stop, poor sinner, stop and think 
 
 Before you farther go. 
 Can you sport upon the brink 
 
 Of everlasting woe? 
 Hell beneath is gaping wide, 
 
 Vengeance waits the dread command, 
 Soon to stop your sport and pride, 
 
 And sink you with the damned. 
 
 Chorus. 
 
 Then be entreated now to stop, 
 
 For unless you warning take, 
 E're you are aware, you'll drop 
 
 Into a burning lake. 
 
 Uncle Joe always made the longest speeches and 
 repeated the loudest prayers. Usually his talks were 
 on such topics as, "It is easier for a camel to go through 
 the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into 
 the kingdom of God" ; and Edward felt like putting the 
 satirical question, "Why then are you so anxious to be- 
 come rich, even at the expense of your own soul ?" 
 
 The boy felt proud that his deceased father was, 
 
 , educationally, ahead of the community in which he 
 
 lived, and that he could have told these people that in 
 
34 TI M ELY AID 
 
 the days when this saying originated, the people used 
 a kind of rope called camel, which was so large that it 
 was difficult to thread it ; and that they also had a gate- 
 way in the walls of Jerusalem called the "Needle's 
 Eye/' through which a camel could, by kneeling, pass, 
 though it was done with difficulty. Jesus' comparison 
 then, meant no impossible thing ; simply that a rich man 
 did not find it easy to enter Heaven. 
 
 This bright son of William Bell had been a regular 
 church attendant ; but he began to grow sick, tired and 
 disgusted with it all. His new home was becoming 
 more and more disagreeable and unbearable. Had it 
 not been for littlel Johnny, he would have contemplated 
 running away. 
 
TIMELY AID 35 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 The Parting. 
 
 THE Universalists in and near Stafford's Corners 
 having been once refused the use of the "Union 
 church" as a place for worship, made another 
 start, raised money and erected the second 
 church ; taking precaution this time not to lose their 
 edifice. 
 
 The activity of this body had the effect of making 
 Uncle Joe very angry. Edward, more to annoy his 
 uncle than for any other reason, one Sunday evening 
 attended the service at the new church. 
 
 The speaker chose his text from the Book of 
 Psalms : "The desire of the wicked shall perish." He 
 told his hearers that the history of his church dated 
 back to a sermon preached by the Rev. John Murray, 
 in the state of New Jersey, in the year 1770, and that 
 the first society was organized in the state of Massa- 
 chusetts, in the year 1779. Originally, explained the 
 minister, it was maintained that all punishments inflict- 
 ed upon sinful men were confined to this life. This 
 was not believed in these days. The speaker continued : 
 
 "On the contrary, it is now admitted that the conse- 
 quences of sin unrepented and unforsaken will — must — 
 follow man into the future world; and that not until 
 the desire of the wicked perisheth and he maketh com- 
 pliance with the terms of salvation, can he hope to es- 
 cape the consequences. Therefore, Orthodoxy is not 
 justified in asserting that Universalism is a license to 
 sin. 
 
 "It certainly is not necessary that the man should 
 be doomed to annihilation and perish with his sin. In 
 
36 TIMELY AID 
 
 God's all-wise plan, all that is necessary is that the de- 
 sire of the wicked should perish. 
 
 "Even here upon earth we may experience hell, and 
 we may escape therefrom, too, if we so desire. The 
 Psalmist had not died and left this world when he 
 said, 'I cried from the depths of hell and God heard 
 me/ 
 
 "We have the assurance, 'Before God every knee 
 shall bow and every tongue shall confess/ This univer- 
 sal salvation necessitates probation after the change 
 called death. 
 
 "There is a glorious gospel of joy and Heaven for all, 
 and sorrow and hell for none ; and' such is the one we 
 here present. It would not be the gospel if it taught 
 anything else ; for the meaning of the word is good- 
 spell. We are free moral agents, and sometime, some- 
 where, we will choose to turn from our sins. If there 
 is a hell, according to the Revelator's vision, it is not to 
 be of eternal duration: 'And death and hell were cast 
 into the lake of fire/ 
 
 "God is Love. It is not His purpose that one 
 should be lost — and there is no power able to thwart the 
 Omnipotent in His purpose. 
 
 "People talk of eternal damnation. Time is against 
 it. God and the Divine law are against it. As our text 
 declares, the desire of the wicked shall perish. Now, 
 it may be that with some of us, that desire for the so- 
 called pleasures of sin will not be given up until after 
 we have reached the Great Beyond. But even there 
 'God's hand is not shortened that it cannot save.' That 
 parable where the Heavenly Father is likened to a good 
 shepherd who, though he had ninety-and-nine safe and 
 secure, would not rest until he had brought the last one 
 safely into the fold, belongs to those religionists who 
 teach universal salvation." 
 
TIMELY AID 37 
 
 For the first time in his life Edward had listened to 
 preaching with which he could agree. 
 
 In spite of the "better bringing up" his Uncle Joe 
 gave him, these liberal views followed him; and in 
 after years when the brothers had grown to manhood 
 and drifted apart, he wrote the following letter to his 
 ministerial brother: 
 
 You know my views on religion. You know that ever since 
 I was a boy, I have declared that, taking the Bible as a whole, 
 it could not be what you pronounce it to be — the inspired 
 Word of God. 
 
 No ; I cannot regard the Bible as being infallible, though I 
 will not say but that the greater portion of this Book of 
 Books is God-inspired. 
 
 I believe that those parts thereof that inspire the reader 
 and are found demonstrable, were written by inspiration. 
 But the whole book does not stand this test. The man who 
 wrote, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose 
 mind is stayed on thee" was undoubtedly God-inspired, or in- 
 spired by good. 
 
 Now, my wife, Anna, and I have no conflicting theories. 
 We are agreed in all things ; our views are very harmonious. 
 Do not misunderstand, dear brother; we have faith in God 
 and a hereafter. We do not ignore Jesus as a brother, friend, 
 leader, but we do classify among the greatest humbugs, this 
 - belief in a personal devil, a literal hell, the fall of man in the 
 Garden of Eden, and redemption through the vicarious atone- 
 ment; and we cannot feel at home in any church that teaches 
 otherwise. 
 
 I sincerely hope, my dear, conscientious Christian brother, 
 that the day will soon come when your spiritual eyes will 
 open and you will see these things in their true light. 
 
 When he read this, poor John was affected as he 
 would have been had a piece of ice been applied to his 
 spine. 
 
38 TIMELY AID 
 
 Surely, he thought, something must be done or his 
 brother would be eternally lost. And he groaned aloud 
 with mingled feelings of horror and pity, as he thought 
 of him being united to a woman believing in a doctrine 
 such as that. He threw this epistle into the fireplace, 
 for his good wife, Alice, must remain in ignorance of 
 this awful fact; and then he prayed, loud, long and 
 earnestly, for this man and woman so far from Christ : 
 
 "God, wilt Thou not in mercy save them from the 
 wrath to come, where the worm dieth not and the fire is 
 not quenched/' 
 
 And that his brother's terrible wish should ever be 
 fulfilled, that he, too, should likewise lose faith in the 
 Adamic pollution and the redeeming blood of Jesus — 
 God forbid ! 
 
 Having no faith in a personal devil and a literal hell, 
 was not this equivalent to having no belief at all ? This 
 must ever be the burden of his prayer, he decided. 
 
 The brothers' ways were far apart. 
 
 Here we are reminded of that good, old-time minis- 
 ter's preaching in denunciation of Universalism. 
 
 "O my brethren," said he, "Beware ! Beware of 
 wolves in sheeps' clothing. 
 
 "There has sprung up amongst us in these latter days 
 an unbelieving sect known as Universalists. They teach 
 that all men will eventually be saved and get into 
 Heaven ; but blessed be the name of the Lord, dear 
 brethren, we hope for better things." 
 
 When Edward and John were left orphans, among 
 the few things they were allowed to keep from home 
 was their mother's Bible and the books belonging to 
 their father. Paine's and Ingersoll's works were 
 among them. John had carefully treasured the Bible 
 and Edward had taken the other books. 
 
 One Sunday evening Edward exasperated his uncle 
 by allowing him to see him reading these "works of 
 
TIMELY AID 39 
 
 the devil." When reprimanded, the boy was so fear- 
 lessly outspoken and sarcastic that the man shook him 
 roughly and shouted, "I will soon put an end to your 
 poisoning your brain with such as this. Nice things 
 for your father to leave you !" And then, suiting the 
 action to the word, he quickly snatched the books, ran 
 out to an old, abandoned well, and flung them in, as he 
 said, "so deep they could never be resurrected." 
 
 Edward, picking up his uncle's wellworn Bible, fol- 
 lowed and flung it in after his own books, crying, 
 "You old hypocrite ! You can have no less respect for 
 my book that I entertain for yours." 
 
 Joe Stafford then commanded him to leave the 
 house and never to darken his door again, calling him 
 "an ungrateful wretch," and using language very pro- 
 fane. 
 
 Edward went to the attic, awoke John and told him 
 of the quarrel and of how he had been driven from 
 home. 
 
 "O Johnny," he said, "I would be glad to go ; I 
 would not care, if only I might take you with me. But 
 I do not see how I can. Don't cry, Johnny, I can't 
 bear it. We'll soon be together again. I am almost 
 sixteen now. If they are ever unkind to you and you 
 need me, you know I would wade through fire and 
 deep water to help you. Cheer up ! I shall write often, 
 in care of some of the boys, so that he cannot keep 
 news of me from you. Be good, and believe in God — 
 if you find it any comfort. I only believe in the 
 Mighty Atom." 
 
 Edward had somewhere heard the term "Mighty 
 Atom," applied to the First Great Cause, and as he 
 felt just now as if he wanted to give up God, he 
 thought he would make use of it. 
 
 He left his brother with a parting embrace. His 
 Aunt Kate cautiously met him at the corner of the 
 
40 TIMELY AID 
 
 house, and slipped into his hands a package of appe- 
 tizing food and all her money — a fifty-cent piece. 
 Then with tears in her voice, she gave him a parting 
 kiss, sobbing, "My brother's boy ! God be with you 
 till we meet again." 
 
 And covering her face with her apron, the good 
 woman wept bitterly. 
 
TIMELY AID 41 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 Out on the Cold World. 
 
 THERE had been a week of weary tramping and 
 sleeping in barns. It was in the latter part of 
 winter — a cold and stormy day. The snow was 
 deep in drifts. Eddie's feet were sore from 
 walking. His money was gone ; and faint and hungry, 
 too proud to beg, he was physically exhausted as he 
 sat by the road. 
 
 His body grew gradually insensible to pain, as he 
 sank easily to sleep. And as he slept, he seemed to 
 hear the words : "God will give his angels charge over 
 thee lest thou dash thy foot against a stone." Then it 
 was as though he were picked up and carried on in his 
 father's strong arms, while just ahead, leading the 
 way, he could see his mother's well remembered form 
 — not speaking a word, but gliding over the sparkling 
 snow to a light flickering in a farm house window. 
 
 When he awoke, he discovered himself lying on a 
 comfortable bed, and he could hear the gentle voice 
 of a woman saying to some one, "Husband, I believe 
 he will live ; and I am glad we were privileged to open 
 our door and take him in. I have often wondered 
 whether any one watched over my young soldier 
 brother when he lay dying of fever in the South ; and 
 every time I have looked at this poor boy, I have 
 thought of that soldier song, 'Somebody's Darling/ ' 
 
 When Edward was convalescent, one Sunday morn- 
 ing, they announced that they would leave him in care 
 of their little daughter, and drive to church. 
 
 After they had gone, he turned to Amy and asked, 
 "What church do your people belong to?" 
 
42 TIMELY AID 
 
 He had made up his mind that these good Samari- 
 tans were not Methodists. He thought they obeyed 
 the Scriptures : "Let your light so shine before men 
 that seeing your good works they may glorify your 
 Father which is in Heaven." 
 
 But Amy replied, with pride in her voice, "Why, 
 we are Methodists. To what church do you belong?" 
 
 Edward felt rebellious, and, never lacking for an- 
 swer, he told her he belonged to "the rebels." And as 
 soon as he had said he was a "rebel," he relieved his 
 feelings by repeating some very harsh things about 
 Methodism and Methodists in general. 
 * Amy listened; then she replied: "You know there 
 was a Judas even among the Master's immediate fol- 
 lowers ; and you musn't keep watching the church 
 members. Keep your eye more steadfastly fixed on 
 Jesus — that's the way to do ! 
 
 "Once I brought my writing book home, and mam- 
 ma criticised it. We found the writing at the bottom 
 of the page far from good. 
 
 "When beginning to write the page, I had looked 
 closely at my perfect copy; but I grew away from it 
 and was guided more by imperfect work. 
 
 "Mamma used it as an illustration. She said we are 
 all writers in the Book of Life. 
 
 "But in our journey we are prone to wander from 
 God; and because we make the mistake of looking 
 away from the perfect guide, our pages become dis- 
 figured and blotted. Have you never met any good 
 Methodists ?" 
 
 Edward feared he had incurred her displeasure, and 
 he felt very much ashamed of himself. 
 
 "Yes," he quickly replied. "My mother was a 
 Methodist, and so was grandfather. And Aunt Kate — 
 as good a woman as ever lived — is a Methodist." 
 
 He tried to make amends by assuring Amy that he 
 
TIMELY AID 43 
 
 would always entertain the greatest respect for her 
 parents. 
 
 His friends always held family prayer. But what a 
 difference there was between their sincere hearts and 
 the hypocrisy he had known ! They selected such com- 
 forting psalms as the one beginning, "Fret not thyself 
 because of evildoers/' 
 
 Under tender nursing Edward rapidly gained health 
 and strength. 
 
 His benefactor had offered him a home and said that 
 he might, after thorough recovery, help on the farm. 
 'But the boy had now suffered nearly three years of 
 homesickness and did so long for a sight of the York 
 state hills that, as soon as he felt able to travel, he pre- 
 pared to continue his journey. It troubled him that 
 he had no money with which to pay these kind people 
 for board, nursing and clothing ; but he gratefully vol- 
 unteered to send to them the full amount due, as soon 
 as he could get to the city and earn it. They smiled 
 cheerily and assured him that they considered they had 
 only done their duty. 
 
 As he was about to leave, Edward took something 
 wrapped in a piece of red flannel out of his pocket, ten- 
 derly caressed it, and then offered it to Mrs. Foote, as 
 payment, in part, at least, for what she had done for 
 him. He told her that this beautiful gold watch and 
 chain had belonged to his mother ; but that as she cer- 
 tainly had been a second mother to him he wished her 
 to have it. Seeing her hesitation, for she realized that 
 it must be a dear keepsake, he put his arm around her 
 neck — big boy though he was — and urged and insisted 
 that she accept it. 
 
 Charles Foote was a poor, hard working farmer, but 
 with his goodby he placed in Edward's hands, three sil- 
 ver dollars. They were accepted as a loan. His bene- 
 factors told him that he was now only fifteen miles 
 
44 TIMELY .AID 
 
 north of Detroit, and advised him to take passage by 
 boat, as it would be cheaper than traveling by rail. 
 Like Aunt Kate, Mrs. Foote remembered to furnish 
 him with a package of edibles. 
 
 As one of the neighbors was driving into Detroit 
 with produce that night, Edward was furnished a ride. 
 As far as he could see ? he watched little Amy waving 
 her handkerchief, and a feeling of loneliness crept over 
 him as he realized that he was again out upon the cold 
 world. 
 
TIMELY AID 45 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 The Welcome. 
 
 AS our boy sat on the dock waiting for the steamer 
 to move out, he tried to forget the parting from 
 brother, aunt and kind friends in looking for- 
 ward to the near future, when he should meet 
 old neighbors. There was his especial chum, Homer 
 Elliott; and Anna Lee — the little fairy — how often he 
 had thought of her ! She had cried when he went to 
 Michigan, and they had promised each other their 
 photos as soon as they should have them taken. But 
 her mamma was a dressmaker, and a widow, so prob- 
 ably Anna hadn't yet seen the money with w T hich to 
 fulfill her promise. He wondered whether she still 
 lived on their street, and would she be delighted over 
 his return ? And there was his old dog Fido — Homer 
 was keeping him for him — here was one, at least, 
 that he felt very confident would welcome him joyfully. 
 And the boy soliloquised "What though I haven't 
 any relatives there? I wouldn't trade my playmate 
 Fido, for a dozen cousins like Will. 
 
 "I have quite a few second cousins right there in 
 Buffalo, but I don't believe I'll stop over to hunt them 
 
 44 A fellow hain't alone in the world when he owns a 
 dog like Fido — the dear old shepherd ! We never 
 ought to have left him. Didn't he save me from 
 drowning once? Oh, but won't he jump and bark and 
 kiss me ! I wish I had my arms around his neck now." 
 
 And then, recollecting how very little currency he 
 possessed, he began to have misgivings whether he had 
 sufficient to purchase a ticket, even at half fare ; and if 
 
46 TIMELY AID 
 
 not, what should he do ? Perhaps it would be wise to ( 
 postpone his journey to Rochester, find employment in 
 Detroit, and remain there for a time. 
 
 But when it suddenly occurred to him that Detroit 
 was in Michigan, he refused to contemplate even a 
 brief sojourn there; and he shook his head decidedly, 
 saying : 
 
 "There are no self-made men in Michigan, I don't 
 believe. Til not stay over night in this state even if I 
 have to swim the river over into Canada. What 
 though that country is under despotic government, and 
 filled mostly with French, Irish and Scotch Cath- 
 olics? I'll bet its preferable to Michigan. I know of 
 only one thing worse than a Michigander, and that's a 
 Methodist." 
 
 The poor boy put Methodism and Michigan down as 
 being closely related ; he had seen so much trouble in 
 both. "Yes," said he, "they must be at least half- 
 brothers." 
 
 He had learned from experience, that traveling with- 
 out money was far from pleasant, and he found himself 
 wishing that he possessed that undoubting faith of his 
 mother, let it be Methodism or whatever it was. In 
 every emergency, she always hopefully said, "The Lord 
 will provide." 
 
 While he sat there among strangers, lost in thought, 
 some one tapped him on the shoulder, saying : "Ex- 
 cuse me, lad, but yer face is strangely fermilier. Be- 
 gorry ! I do believe ye are that boy of William Bell's 
 and no mistake ! 
 
 "Didn't ye used to live in Rochester, or thereabouts, 
 and wasn't your father a contractor and builder?" 
 
 Edward's face lightened with happiness. 
 
 "Yes," he said, "did you know my father?" He 
 doubted not that he had found a friend — some one from 
 York state. 
 
TIMELY AID 47 
 
 "Know yer father? Bless yer heart, I should say I 
 did ! Never knew a man better. I am Tom Gor- 
 man, and used to lay all the chimneys for that fine 
 fellow. Never have had such a boss before nor since. 
 Where is your pa now ?" 
 
 "We moved to northern Michigan and I am sorry to 
 tell you my father is dead — so is mother — and I am 
 now on my way home," said Edward. 
 
 "Dead? Oh, ye don't say so? Poor soul! Indade, 
 but Tom knows how to pity ye. I lost me own father 
 and mother and all me blood and kin, when I was a lit- 
 tle shaver, no bigger than ye be, lad." 
 
 Edward did not just relish being addressed thus, for 
 he had thought himself a man. 
 
 "Well, well, so yer father is dead? May the good 
 saints save us, but if iver a Protestant has gone to 
 Heaven, that man has. And ye just wants to walk in 
 the footsteps of yer noble father, me lad, and — mind 
 what I tell ye ter yer dying day — ye'll come to no 
 bad end." 
 
 Our boy felt like grasping this kind bricklayer's hand 
 in grateful appreciation of these words of praise. Then 
 he suddenly remembered the Irishman is possessed of 
 two failings at least, quick temper, and a love for be- 
 stowing superfluous flattery. 
 
 Tom Gorman proceeded : "There is one thing I 
 can't forgit, try as I will, and that is I owed your father 
 tin dollars." 
 
 Edward was suddenly interested. Would this man 
 consider he owed it now to him, and pay the bill, or 
 would he show no more sense of honor than his uncle 
 had? 
 
 "Ye see, I niver could pay it back to him, as I didn't 
 know where he was, and besides I have niver had that 
 many dollars together at any one time since." 
 
 Edward's hopes began to fall a little, but he felt that 
 
48 TIMELY AID 
 
 he could be thankful for only some small portion of the 
 original debt. 
 
 "I came by that money in this way," continued Tom. 
 "I went to yer father, dead broke, and told him that 
 me poor, dear mother was very, very sick and I hadn't 
 a rid cint to take me down to Buffalo and see her in her 
 dying hour. 'Twas breaking me heart. Then yer 
 father, the good soul, give me the money. Say, boy, 
 I had told a black, wicked lie, and I have niver slept a 
 night since without thinking of it. Tell the truth, I was 
 borrowing that money so as ter bale' me brother Patsy 
 — the darty scoundral — out of jail. But the devil got 
 the best of me, lad. I have one failing— jist one — I am 
 altogether too fond of whisky. I have confessed me sin 
 time and time agin. Well, the ind of it was I spent me 
 every penny for strong drink and landed up in jail rae- 
 self. When I sobered up and went back to yer pa for a 
 job, the good builder had gone and I've niver hern from 
 him from that day ter this. 
 
 "And so he is dead, ye tell me. Well, well, niver can 
 I furgit his good, kind advice to let drink alone and I 
 ' will. So help me Holy Mother ! I will niver touch an- 
 other drop of that accussed stuff agin. But here, what 
 am I doing, confessing ter ye as if ye were Father 
 O'Brien himself. Somehow me and the praste can 
 niver git along together. I am always saying some- 
 thing that he don't like. He give me a calling down 
 one day for using some big words, and I said, 'Never 
 mind, dear Father, my swaring and yer praching and 
 praying is justifiable — nather one of us mane envthing 
 by it.' 
 
 "And would ye belave it, I had to do penance for a 
 week jist fur saving that. Now did yer iver hear the 
 likes ?" 
 
 Edward was beginning to fear that his friend had 
 
TIMELY AID 49 
 
 entirely forgotten about the ten dollars he had admitted 
 owing, when Tom again spoke of the matter. 
 
 "Well," he said, "I suppose ye are left alone now, 
 cast adrift upon the cold world, and I'd better pay ye 
 that tin dollars than confess, in the last hour, to the 
 praste, when I'll have to give it all, and more too, just 
 to be prayed through pergatory." 
 
 Edward's heart now gave a happy bound. 
 
 "Let me see," said the good fellow. "I am an honest 
 man ivery inch of me, if I am an Irishman and a Ro- 
 man Catholic at that. But let me see, have I got tin 
 dollars about me. Yes," pulling out a roll of bills, 
 "that and more too. I sold poor Mollie's sewing ma- 
 chine and some other things her father give her, sold 
 them this morning. Did intend to buy a horse and 
 dray. But I belave I'll pay that old debt instid." 
 
 Edward was very scrupulous about taking anything 
 belonging to another, and so he ventured to remark, 
 "If that was your wife's machine, the money isn't 
 yours to give me, is it?" 
 
 "Well now, I suppose that is jist the way a person 
 looks at it," said Tom. "Me wife and me are one, and 
 I am the one ; or at laste that is the way it used to be." 
 
 Then Tom came to Edward's relief, by taking out his 
 red bandanna, wiping his tearful eyes and mournfully 
 announcing, "Poor Mollie, I buried her only a week 
 ago last Friday. She was all the wife I had" ; and by 
 this time he was ready to hand the boy thirteen dollars, 
 saying he wanted to pay that debt and with interest. 
 As Edward hesitated about the overplus, Tom pushed 
 it into his hand and said : "I suppose ye think thirteen 
 an unlucky number. They tell us Friday is not a lucky 
 day ; but didn't Columbus discover this grand America 
 on Friday, and didn't I bury me Mollie on Friday? 
 There, boy, goes yer boat, the captain is calling 'All 
 aboard !' for the third time. Now if ye intend to go, 
 
50 TIMELY AID 
 
 ye better fly to the cathole and git yer ticket, or I'll have 
 ter take ye in as a boarder, with nobody and nothing to 
 keep house with. If anybody iver hated to say good- 
 by to ye, it's meself, but goodby, good luck ter ye, and 
 God bless ye." 
 
 Edward hurriedly gave his new found friend a hearty 
 handshake and told him how glad he was he had met 
 him. 
 
 While sitting on deck that evening he about made up 
 his mind that if he ever should take it into his head to 
 join any church, it would be the Roman Catholic; and 
 then he thought : 
 
 "It is not the church that makes the Christian. A 
 heart can be kept right anywhere, whether in or out of 
 the church. My father was not an avowed member of 
 any denomination, still I haven't the least doubt but 
 that he is in Heaven with mother. I care not for the 
 preacher's, or any other man's opinion. My angel 
 mother is not so entirely devoid of feeling that she 
 could be happy even in the seventh heaven knowing 
 that our kind father had been consigned to the pangs 
 of endless torment ; and I can't remember ever hearing 
 her say that she believed in this terrible place called 
 hades. No ; I cannot, I will not, believe such a false 
 doctrine, though all the world might proclaim it. 
 
 "Did I not receive evidence that my dear parents 
 were together, that last night I was out in that winter's 
 storm ?" 
 
 How Edward did enjoy the beautiful moonlight on 
 the lake. He no longer felt friendless and alone ; he 
 had met a friend already and believed in his heart that 
 the mind of an Infinite Father — he now clung to some- 
 thing more than a Mighty Atom — had intercepted and 
 sent him timely aid in the form of this big, kind, gen- 
 erous hearted Irishman. Surely his meeting with this 
 stranger, who had so suddenly made him comparatively 
 
TIMELY AID 51 
 
 rich, was something more than merely a strange co- 
 incidence. 
 
 The stars above all seemed to be singing together, 
 "God works in a mysterious way his wonders to per- 
 form/' and all of their reflections in the blue expanse 
 of water beneath took up and echoed the glad refrain. 
 
 As the boat moved on, rocking against the waves and 
 billows, our little man fell asleep, to dream of home and 
 mother and to hear a throng of angels, lead by his 
 father's fine bass voice, singing : 
 
 Rocked in the cradle of the deep, 
 I lay me down in peace to sleep ; 
 Secure I rest upon the wave, 
 For Thou, O Lord, hast power to save. 
 I know Thou wilt not slight my call, 
 For Thou dos't mark the sparrow's fall. 
 And calm and peaceful is my sleep, 
 Rocked in the cradle of the deep. 
 
 When he awoke it was morning, and they were in 
 sight of Buffalo. And when he arrived in the suburbs 
 of Rochester, where he formerly lived, many and 
 hearty were the welcomes ; but of all who expressed 
 affection and showed rejoicing over the meeting, none 
 excelled his shepherd dog Fido. Together they went 
 out in search of employment, and here we will leave 
 them for a time. 
 
52 TIMELY AID 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 The Minister's Child. 
 
 THE little Michigan town has grown up with the 
 boys. It has its high schools, churches, banks 
 and factories. Its first storekeeper and his wife 
 have both met with the transition called death. 
 They lived to see the forest give way to extensive 
 fields of grain, macadamized roads take the place of the 
 old corduroy, and almost every improvement conceiv- 
 able. Their son had run away from home in disgrace. 
 The obedient and promising nephew, John, had sought 
 and obtained a college education, assisted by his brother 
 Edward's hard earned dollars. 
 
 This brother, now visiting in Michigan, has risen 
 from a successful contractor and builder to a wealthy, 
 real estate dealer. 
 
 John has been ordained to the ministry, and is taking, 
 as his first pastorate, the church of his childhood, which 
 is very much enlarged both in size and numbers. We 
 know that if anything has ever thrived better than 
 Canada thistles, it is Methodism. 
 
 Owing to his depressed spirit, another divine has 
 been provided to fill his place ; and on the morrow, he is 
 to take his little baby, and board the train for Roch- 
 ester in company with his brother and his brother's 
 wife. 
 
 This being the last evening at the parsonage, callers 
 were continually coming to bid farewell. 
 
 It is less than two weeks since Alice passed on, 
 but it seemed like months, even years, to her husband. 
 
 Rev. John Bell is reclining upon the couch, in what 
 has been the library. He hears the doorbell ring, and 
 
TIMELY AID 53 
 
 Clara, the maid, ushers into the adjoining parlor their 
 family physician, Dr. Strong. Although he knew the 
 good old man had come to say goodby, he made no 
 move, for he felt too indifferent and downhearted to 
 entertain no matter who might call. He had instructed 
 Clara not to disturb his rest, and had extinguished the 
 light, and no one knew of his presence there. 
 
 Edward, Anna and the baby were in the parlor, and 
 Clara remained to finish her careful packing of bric-a- 
 brac, pictures, books, etc. 
 
 It had been decided that this faithful girl, who had 
 no other home and who was looked upon here more as 
 an adopted child than servant, was to accompany them 
 and be given a place in the home of Mrs. Edward Bell. 
 She could have chosen nothing better ; this world held 
 nothing so dear to her as this motherless baby. 
 
 The evening's conversation had turned on several 
 topics. At last, clearing his throat and speaking as if 
 with difficulty, the doctor inquired of Airs. Bell: 
 "Aren't you afraid you are allowing the bright light to 
 shine too directly into baby's eyes ? They have never 
 been very strong." 
 
 "Why, she doesn't seem to, mind it in the least," she 
 smilingly replied. 
 
 "Does the baby seem to notice anything yet?" asked 
 the doctor. 
 
 Auntie shook the rattle to give evidence how quickly 
 Hazel would "reach," and show other signs of delight : 
 and' then she held before her the gayest, prettiest doll ; 
 but Hazel only looked away into vacant space. 
 
 "See, see the pretty dollie," she coaxed. 
 
 Then the doctor, who had previously planned how he 
 would make a speech, and break the news most gently 
 to the unsuspecting family, forgot everything and ab- 
 ruptly announced : 
 
 "She can't see. She was born blind !" 
 
54 T.I M ELY AID 
 
 "Blind!" They all exclaimed, "Oh, doctor, it can't 
 be — you must be mistaken." 
 
 "It is only too true, he sadly replied. "Those eyes 
 are a beautiful violet blue ; but that far-away sightless 
 look has never escaped me. I have made examination 
 and I have quietly held consultation; and I know the 
 poor child is totally blind. 
 
 "Let us be thankful the mother was spared from the 
 torture of hearing this statement. But it's best that 
 some one should enlighten the child's father." 
 
 At that moment John Bell entered the room and fair- 
 ly staggered to his baby. He did not need to speak ; 
 that awful look of agony, that colorless face, told 
 plainly that he had heard. Was his child to go through 
 life groping in total darkness? Finally his trembling 
 voice broke forth and he said: "I thought my heart 
 was broken before; but this is worse than death." 
 
 The repressed sobs of the two women could be heard. 
 The uncle paced the floor, went to the window and 
 looked out on the starlight night. The kind doctor, 
 with tears in his eyes, grasped in farewell the hand of 
 each and departed. He could not find voice to say even 
 so much as the word Goodby. There was no hope; 
 there was no physician on earth, no great oculist, who 
 could heal this child. 
 
A 
 
 TIMELY AID 55 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Rejecting Help. 
 
 HALF hour had been past in silence since this 
 sad household had been told, by good authority, 
 J^~\ that the eyes of little Hazel were sightless. The 
 grief-stricken parent had by this time made him- 
 self believe that he was calm and reconciled to what 
 must be looked upon as the inevitable. He had re- 
 peated over and over again, ''What can't be helped, 
 must be endured." 
 
 But entirely other thoughts were in the mind of 
 Clara, and after she had several times repeated to 
 herself : "Fear hath torment. Perfect love casteth 
 out fear. There is nothing to fear/' she became brave 
 enough to speak, though well knowing that what she 
 had to say was very liable to incur the minister's dis- 
 pleasure. She went over to where Mr. Bell was sit- 
 ting and addressed him as follows : 
 
 "We must not forget that all things are possible 
 with God, with the great Physician ; while there is life, 
 there is hope ; and Man's extremity is God's oppor- 
 tunity. Undoubtedly, you know what I would sug- 
 gest for baby." 
 
 The hot blood suddenly rushed into the pale face 
 of the man thus addressed. He forgot for a time that 
 his wife was dead, his child was blind, and he had 
 nothing to live for ; and remembering only the sermon 
 the early part of the month, he would now relieve him- 
 self by delivering a few of those sentences in de- 
 nunciation of what Clara had to offer. 
 
 "Yes, girl," said he; "I know what you would like 
 to suggest. I have not been blind to the fact that 
 
56 TI M ELY AID 
 
 you have not attended our church for the last six 
 months or more. I am aware that this so-called 
 Christian Science has fastened its hold upon you. 
 They tell me you have been healed of spinal trouble 
 through these people. Clara, you are too good a girl — 
 too intelligent — to hear them deny the existence of 
 matter, of sin and of sickness, and then to believe 
 their healing comes from God. Why, even the Spirit- 
 ualists heal without the use of medicine. Very little 
 God has to do with it, however." 
 
 "Has it not been prophesied that in these latter days, 
 there will rise up a people showing great signs and 
 wonders, who will, if possible, deceive the very elect?" 
 Clara replied. "We should never condemn a thing 
 unheard, and if you would only, without prejudice, 
 investigate, I believe — " 
 
 "You can't tell me anything I don't know about 
 Christian Science," retorted the minister. "I have just 
 finished reading two books, one entitled 'Christian 
 Science Neither Christian nor Scientific/ and the 
 other 'Christian Science Unmasked/ These are sent 
 out with 'Prayer Union' on the cover; and God grant 
 they may do the much needed work! A warning 
 voice needs to be raised. It is appalling the way 
 Christian Science is spreading; see their magnificent 
 and costly churches, and the thousands who throng 
 to Boston at each communion service. 
 
 "Tell me, are they worshipping God or that per- 
 sonality known as the Christian Science leader — Mary 
 Baker G. Eddy? 
 
 "Christian Science is a dangerous teaching. It is 
 constantly taking from us — and taking the best. Many 
 of the noblest, brightest and most cultured are being 
 led astray. 
 
 "I wish, Clara, you would read these little books I 
 have referred to. Then, I think, you would change 
 
TIMELY AID 57 
 
 your mind and see the falsity in Mrs. Eddy's teach- 
 ings." 
 
 "I am what you may call only an investigator/' 
 Clara replied. "I am not competent to explain Chris- 
 tian Science. But one thing I do know — I was weak 
 and sick. Now I am strong and well. 
 
 "Not only has Christian Science done much for me, 
 but if only you would listen, I could point you to 
 hundreds of well authenticated healings — many of 
 them marvelous." 
 
 "Clara," replied John Bell, "I will not dispute you 
 there. I entertain no doubt but that many have been 
 healed. It is their method I combat. There is noth- 
 ing Christ-like about it; and I do not feel that I am 
 pronouncing too harshly when I denounce it as simply 
 Demonism. I had written a sermon aiming to show 
 my people the unscripturalness of this new theology; 
 and to point those who hunger and thirst for truth 
 in the direction of God's Word. And now, though 
 their testimonies of healing may be indisputable, and 
 dearly as I love my child, and glad as I would be to 
 see her healed, depend upon it I shall wait a long, 
 long time before trying such a means for her restora- 
 tion. 
 
 "I believe God is as able to heal now as He was 
 in the days of old. 4 He is the same yesterday, to-day 
 and forever/ I prayed for the recovery of my Alice. 
 But then, I no doubt lacked faith ; or, perhaps, her 
 time to go had come. I did not want to give her up. 
 But God knew best. God is my healer. Yes, I do 
 believe in faith cure pure and simple — if not in the 
 healings of Alexander Dowie and Mary Baker G. Eddy. 
 These impostors with the self-imposed titles, 'Elijah 
 the Third/ and k The Second Mary' or 'Mother in 
 Israel/ I denounce. You know how I feel about 
 Spiritualism? I have respect for you, Clara, and do 
 
58 TIMELY AID 
 
 not desire to hurt your feelings. But really, I can- 
 not tolerate your foolish belief. I do not think our 
 Christian churches should bestow upon Christian 
 Science scarcely, if any, higher favor than they do 
 upon Spiritualism." 
 
 John had said that he did not like to hurt Clara's 
 feelings. She had come to him, offering a greater 
 blessing than gold — sight for the darling baby; and 
 she felt as Jesus did when he wept over Jerusalem: 
 "I would have gathered my children together, as a 
 hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye 
 would not." She felt as did St. Paul when he said : 
 "The heart of this people is waxed gross, and their 
 ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they 
 closed, lest they should hear and see and understand 
 and be converted, and I should heal them." The 
 minister had said he did not desire to hurt her feel- 
 ings by his harsh denounciations, but the poor girl 
 was trying to hold the tears back while declaring 
 silently, ''There are no such things as hurt feelings." 
 
TIM ELY AID 59 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 A Friend in Need. 
 
 THE minister was not addressing Mrs. Bell, but 
 she did not enjoy listening to his tirade of 
 abuse and seeing those beautiful, downcast 
 eyes of the orphan girl filling with tears ; and 
 she felt called upon to speak. 
 
 "Brother John, pardon me for entering into this 
 conversation. But I have been thinking of a verse 
 I once read, which is a good motto for us all when 
 tempted to speak ill of others : 
 
 There is so much good in the worst of us, 
 And so much bad in the best of us, 
 That it ill becomes any of us 
 To talk about the rest of us. 
 
 "I am not a Christian Scientist, never have been, 
 and never expect to be. But I want to tell you, there 
 is some — yes, much — truth taught therein. We need 
 to accept only what seems demonstrable to our reason, 
 and let the rest go. If our eyes were not so holden 
 we would see good Christians everywhere, even among 
 the Scientists. I find in Christian Science much to 
 admire ; and you yourself do not dispute their heal- 
 ings." 
 
 Clara felt that this good woman had come to her 
 with timely aid, and she beamed upon her a look of 
 grateful appreciation. 
 
 "Science/' said John, in answer, "as they choose to 
 name it, might appeal to you when it would not to a 
 Christian. Are you well enough posted on the sub- 
 ject to tell me whether or not these people we are 
 
60 TIMELY AID 
 
 discussing deny the vicarious atonment, the Adamic 
 pollution, a personal devil and a literal hell ? ,? 
 
 "I believe they do," she replied. 
 
 "Well, then," declared John, "it is as I have always 
 claimed : they are infidels, passing themselves off as 
 Christians." 
 
 "Brother," said Anna, "your definition of what 
 constitutes infidelity, and mine, likely, would not 
 agree. Dispensing with hell doesn't make an infidel. 
 If you must have your hell — why, I suppose we will 
 have to let you have it. But we want none of it; 
 and why can't you let us have our Heaven in peace, 
 and without calling names? I have never met an 
 infidel, though there are a few who, for some reason, 
 loudly proclaim themselves such. Nevertheless, I 
 have my doubts whether this world ever has contained 
 such a rara-avis as a genuine atheist." 
 
 "Yes, I see that you lean toward Christian Science," 
 said John. 
 
 "I do, and I do not," she replied. "I believe in 
 perfect God and perfect man. I believe that all men 
 will eventually have worked out their own salvation. 
 I believe in divine healing; and while there are a few 
 truths taught in Christian Science, I will see them. 
 Paschal Randolph spoke truly nearly a half century 
 ago, when he penned in his book these lines : 'Church- 
 anity to a great extent has usurped the office and 
 functions of Christianity/ The world needs to be saved 
 from this disease. And though I myself have a church 
 preference, may God ever keep me from narrow sec- 
 tarianism ! is my prayer. You see now how it is ; I 
 lean and I do not lean towards Christian Science. I 
 see some good there. 
 
 "I believe in Divine Healing. We see it all around 
 us to-day. We can go back to the Bible and read of 
 the nine spiritual gifts that never should have been 
 
T I M ELY AID 61 
 
 lost sight of ; namely, 'The word of wisdom ; the word 
 of knowledge ; faith ; gifts, of healing ; the working 
 of miracles ; the gift of prophecy ; the discerning of 
 spirits ; divers kinds of tongues ; the interpretation of 
 tongues/ I am not a Christian Scientist; but I have 
 accepted for my motto : 
 
 Seize on truth wherever found, 
 On Christian or on pagan ground. 
 
 'Those very books that you recommended as un- 
 masking Christian Science, I happen to have read. 
 And in my opinion, instead of doing what they claim, 
 they unconsciously unveil their own skeleton theology. 
 
 "I could not but take notice of how you said you 
 had investigated Christian Science. Would you go 
 to a blacksmith if you wished to learn the jeweler's 
 trade? Now I have read 'Science and Health.' I 
 make it a point, as far as time will permit, to investi- 
 gate all subjects ; and those very same little books you 
 referred to were the cause of it. They, as if by chance, 
 fell into my hands. Xow I would not investigate one 
 side of the question and not the other. This led to 
 my going to our city library and bringing home a copy 
 'Science and Health/ In one of these books — I think 
 it was called 'Christian Science Neither Christian nor 
 Scientific,' there were no arguments used. It simply 
 consisted of, first, a statement from 'Science and 
 Health' and then a verse of Scripture directly con- 
 tradicting it. This method was continued for several 
 pages ; and the book closed with the words : 'What 
 part hath a believer with an infidel ; wherefore come 
 out from among them and be ye separate.' 
 
 "Although at first reading this little pamphlet 
 seemed as convincing as anything could be — and I was 
 almost carried away with the tide denouncing Christian 
 Science as wholly wrong — yet I knew that it was my 
 
62 TIMELY AID 
 
 duty to 'prove all things and hold fast that which is 
 good/ My investigation must be unprejudiced and 
 unbiased. 
 
 "These are my precepts : Read not to believe and 
 take for granted, nor yet to condemn and confute ; 
 but to weigh and consider. 
 
 "I never like to see, as we so often do, one church 
 pelting stones at another. 
 
 "You say, that the Christian churches should not 
 bestow upon Christian Science and Spiritualism as 
 much respect as they do. I disagree with you. I think 
 that what you designate as the Christian churches, if 
 they were really Christian, would bestow upon both 
 of these churches more respect than they do. You 
 look upon a few denominations as 'sister churches/ 
 There are others that you will not even recognize as 
 being 'distant relation/ Let us not be forgetful of 
 the Scriptural advice : 'Touch not mine anointed and 
 do my prophets no harm/ 
 
 "God has no use for Churchanity — I care not under 
 what name it comes. As sure as there is to be a 
 Church of the Millennium, sectarianism is doomed. 
 
 "My mother was a Protestant and my father a 
 Catholic ; and my grandparents on both sides, prompted 
 by sectarian bitterness, denounced their children. They 
 lost track' of them. Father died when I was a baby. 
 Mother, poor, patient, frail little mother, with wealthy 
 parents disowning her, was obliged to sew day and 
 night that she might provide the necessaries. At last 
 she wearied and died, and I, a young girl, was left 
 alone in the world. I am alone to-day, save for Ed- 
 ward and his people. Differences in religion caused 
 this family separation, and my case has more than 
 one parallel. I would not tear down the churches ; I 
 would not put my foot upon them. It is their self- 
 
TIMELY AID 63 
 
 assertiveness, their T-am-better-than-thou' spirit that 
 I combat. 
 
 "The attitude of the churches reminds me of the 
 Quaker who said to his wife: 'Hannah, everybody in 
 this world is a little queer but thee and me — and Han- 
 nah, thee is a little queer.' 
 
 "Yes, John ; this is too prevalent. I see how 
 it is. If healing could come to you through the Metho- 
 dist church you would most gladly accept it. 
 
 "But we will return to our subject, Christian Science. 
 I repeat, this teaching is neither as foolish nor as bad 
 as you picture it. You fancy that you have investigated 
 the subject, that you know all about it. When the fact 
 is, that you have never looked into it at all. 
 
 "Now, when I had finished reading those same little 
 books against Christian Science — that furnished you 
 so much enlightenment — I said, I will take the stand 
 we read of in the Crown's First Part of Henry VI., 
 and to the warning ones reply : : 'Tis not enough to 
 say in such a bush there lies a thief, in such a cave 
 a beast ; but you must show him to me ere I shoot, 
 else I may kill one of my straggling sheep.' These — 
 your writers — have made zealous, vehement acclama- 
 tions of the many errors to be found in Christian 
 Science. Mere austere assertion and bitter denuncia- 
 tion is not argument. I had their charges — but where 
 were their proofs. Knowing that a judge or jury 
 can never sum up a case until both sides have been 
 heard, I then turned and read 'Science and Health.' 
 To say that I agreed with everything in that book 
 would be saying too much in its praise. But I found 
 that Christian Science was not half as black as it was 
 pictured. 
 
 "It was very much like the teaching I was receiving 
 then, and which I am still accepting; — though differ- 
 ing greatly on a few points. Well, I took this little 
 
64 TI M ELY AID 
 
 book denouncing Christian Science and weighed it in 
 the balance. ~ I assure you it was found wanting. This 
 Scripture would here apply : 'This man began to build 
 and was not able to finish.' The little book, supposed 
 to unmask, was worthless after all. They had at- 
 tempted something and failed. Here was a line from 
 'Science and Health': 'Harmony is the way to 
 Heaven.' Then a line from the Bible: 'Jesus said, I 
 am the way.' Here the writer was insinuating that 
 Scientists rejected Jesus. I reasoned that there was 
 nothing wrong in Mrs. Eddy's saying, 'Harmony is the 
 way to Heaven.' Who can hope to live a life of dis- 
 cord, and in so living reach that destination ? Does not 
 the Bible say: 'My paths are paths of peace.' I was 
 not long in learning that the Scientists did not reject 
 Jesus. I had but to open at the first page, the first 
 paragraph in the preface of the harshly criticised book, 
 and there I found these words, speaking of the Star of 
 Bethlehem : 'So shone the pale star, yet it traversed 
 the night, and came where in cradled obscurity lay the 
 young child who should redeem mortals, and make 
 plain to human understanding the way of salvation.' 
 Then, turning to another page, I read: 'There is but 
 one way to Heaven, and harmony and Christ shows us 
 the way.' 
 
 "Now, who will say that that little book you are 
 recommending to Clara and others is not misleading? 
 Does the author thereof manifest a disposition fair 
 and honest towards Mrs. Eddy? Or does he love to 
 persecute her? There was one comment, however, 
 that I thought about right. It referred to the place 
 where Mrs. Eddy defines angels as not being mes- 
 sengers ; but messages — simply pure, high, exalted 
 thoughts. Then the writer of your book gave ex- 
 amples of where the Bible used the words 'man' and 
 'angel' interchangeably. One of the gospel writers 
 
TIMELY AID 65 
 
 tells us that at the sepulchre, an angel told the women 
 that Jesus had risen ; another, that a young man 
 clothed in white, delivered this message. I remember 
 that Simon Peter, in rehearsing the story of the 
 trance, said that Cornelius informed him that an angel 
 had told him to send for him, that he was called to go 
 to the house of Simon at Jappa. It is recorded in 
 Scripture that Peter obeyed the voice of the spirit that 
 sent him on this journey. 
 
 "Cornelius made answer to his inquiry how he came 
 to be sent for, 'I was in prayer and a man stood before 
 me in bright clothing/ Now, in the opinion of Peter, 
 angels must have been spirits or men, as each of these 
 names are applied to the one message-bearer. The 
 angel St. John met on the Isle of Patmos said: 
 'I am thy fellow-man. I am he that liveth and was 
 dead, and behold I am alive forevermore.' In this 
 I criticise Mrs. Eddy. This woman of world-wide re- 
 nown has now passed her eighty-sixth milestone ; and 
 for that, if for no other reason, people should refrain 
 from unkind, unjust criticism. No matter how many 
 errors her doctrine may contain, nothing calls for 
 abuse." 
 
 The minister by this time had made up his mind that 
 his brother's wife did possess something that she called 
 religion. Perhaps she belonged to the Swedenborgians, 
 or to some of those branches of Divine Science; and 
 looking at his watch, he said: "It is very late now, 
 we shall have to be early risers here to-morrow morn- 
 ing, if we would be in time for our train. I believe 
 it would be wise to retire." 
 
 He bent over the cradle and kissed his sleeping child 
 good-night, and went to his room feeling a little more 
 lenient toward Christian Science than he did before his 
 sister began talking. Perhaps he will yet be persuaded 
 to turn in its direction for help. 
 
66 TIMELY AID 
 
 In the words of Jeremiah we question: "Is there 
 no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there ?" and 
 in the words of the Psalmist we answer: "Bless the 
 Lord, O my soul, who forgiveth all thine inquities ; 
 who healeth all thy diseases ; who redeemeth thy life 
 from destruction." 
 
TIMELY AID 67 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 A Ray of Hope. 
 
 IT is the last night in the parsonage, and the father, 
 having kissed his treasure good-night, remembers 
 her in his prayer. 
 
 "Almighty God," he prayed, "thou hast healed 
 the blind in times passed, and now I ask to see the 
 Son of Righteousness arise with healing in His wing. 
 Amen." 
 
 Clara tried to come to the realization that no matter 
 what the seeming, Hazel's eyes were perfect symbols 
 of the All-Seeing Eye ; that her sight was not dim, 
 and she could see perfectly at this time. 
 
 Young as she was, Clara had always felt a motherly 
 responsibility ; and now, from this time on, she was to 
 act only as nurse and seamstress. Hazel was really 
 her charge. The girl took the tiny one from its cradle 
 and carried it away to her room, keeping up her hopes 
 and courage by denying the evil and affirming the 
 good. 
 
 It may be admisable to insert here a commentary on 
 the servant-girl question. In nine out of every ten 
 homes where one or more girls are kept, everything 
 that passes between employer and employee seems to 
 bespeak that matter of distinction. No girl knows her 
 place who does not always wait until she has been 
 spoken to before she speaks £ who is not content to 
 clear away the oranges and olives from her mistress' 
 table and partake of the plainest, in the kitchen ; who 
 does not, when work is done, remain in the kitchen 
 or ascend the back stairs to : her little seven-by-nine 
 room, w 7 ith its one low window under the eaves look- 
 
68 TIMELY AID 
 
 ing down into the back alley. No working girl ought 
 to indulge in singing "Climbing Up the Golden Stairs/' 
 Ah, yes ! they should — for in heaven, "The first shall 
 be last and the last shall be first." 
 
 Clara was never in the least obtrusive; she was not 
 at all ignorant. She was neither contented nor dis- 
 contented with her humble lot, but did with goodwill 
 what her hands found to do. 
 
 At the early age of ten, she and her little brother 
 had been left suddenly orphaned; alone and in a 
 strange city. Kind neighbors had seen them safely 
 placed in an orphan's home. Her baby had been spared 
 to her only a little while, when some one came, adopted, 
 and took him away, she knew not where. And during 
 all these years, she had hoped and prayed that these 
 foster parents were kind. Nothing but the restoration 
 of him could ever alleviate the pain tugging at her 
 young heart. Nothing could ever banish that desire 
 to see and be with her own. But how could she ever 
 find him? She had remained in the Home until the 
 age of sixteen, showing herself an apt pupil in all the 
 common branches of learning, and in the various kinds 
 of work taught there. But after all, this has been 
 Clara's first and only real home. 
 
 The parlor lights have been extinguished and every 
 member of our little family has departed to his room 
 
 Clara realized that in rescuing her from the min- 
 ister's tongue, Mrs. Bell had proven herself a friend 
 in need. 
 
 But in recommending Christian Science, she had a 
 feeling that she had done her duty, and that she could 
 stand any amount of rebuff if only little Hazel could 
 be brought to see. Was this a less favored child than 
 blind Bartimeus? The girl found comfort in reading 
 the following lines in an old Christian Science Journal. 
 
TIMELY AID 69 
 
 In these lines what should be the mission of Christian 
 Science is well set forth : 
 
 "GO." 
 
 G. V. S. 
 
 Go list to the voice that is calling to action, 
 
 Go sit at His feet, and humility feel — 
 Go drink at the fountain of Life Everlasting; 
 
 Go carry the tidings, 'Tis Christ that doth heal. 
 
 Go visit thy neighbor, his bondage enduring; 
 
 Go bear ye his burden, and show him the way — 
 Go speak to him kindly, and carry the message, 
 
 'Tis Christ that can heal thee, if thou wilt obey. 
 
 Go tell to the traveler out on life's highway, 
 All footsore and weary, his searching is vain — 
 
 Go tell him to turn from vain searching and wandering: 
 That Christ has appeared and is healing again. 
 
 Go sit at the Gate of the Beautiful, waiting, 
 And give to the poor, when for alms they appeal — 
 
 Not gold, but the light of His kingdom stand telling; 
 Go give them the touch of the Christ that doth heal. 
 
 Go tell to the whole world this beautiful story, 
 Go stand in your purity Christ manifest — 
 
 Go tell them to look, reach forth, touch His garment; 
 To know of His healing, and knowing, find rest. 
 
 During the whole evening, Edward Bell, who was 
 never in any other than a talkative mood, had kept 
 perfectly silent. Alone with his wife he began to 
 speak. 
 
 "Well, I never!" he said. "I have always wondered 
 what you were good for. I have now decided to send 
 
70 TIMELY AID 
 
 you out and let you take your place on the platform 
 as a speaker and lecturer. Indeed, I am proud of you ; 
 such talent ought not to remain hidden. Can't you 
 study law — or something, and make your mark in the 
 world? This is the time for the new-woman." 
 
 "Oh, don't be foolish to-night, Edward," she re- 
 plied. "I can't bear joking." 
 
 And she could not ; for all the time, underneath, 
 there was a sad current. She could not forget how 
 they had this night been told that baby was blind. 
 
 "Little wife, don't worry," comforted the husband. 
 "The child will be brought out of this all right." Then 
 he continued, "To hear you talk to-night — save for one 
 or two remarks — any person would have pronounced 
 you a genuine, full-fledged Eddyite. You defended 
 their cause most ably. They sometimes speak well 
 of other churches ; but did they ever of yours ? I did 
 not expect to hear you pronounce any very harsh 
 judgment, or say one thing they did not deserve; for 
 that would not be according to your principles. Yet 
 I confess I did expect to hear you tell your hearers 
 what you did believe, and announce the church of 
 your choice." 
 
 "Edward," she replied, "I was on the verge of con- 
 fessing several times. I came very near telling of 
 my experience in metaphysical healing. But then, 
 what would have been the use? 
 
 "Really the way my healer brought me out from 
 under the' pangs of rheumatism, and other healers we 
 have seen, are marvellous. How far superior to the 
 work of materia medical Had we not turned to a 
 spiritual healer for help, I have not a doubt but that 
 quick consumption would have taken you from me. 
 To-day you are a picture of health and strength. 
 
 "No, I did not make direct reference to my church. 
 I was about to speak of it when I seemed to hear 
 
TIMELY AID 71 
 
 Jesus giving the advice : 'Cast not your pearls before 
 swine lest they turn and rend you/ ' 
 
 "Well, now, that is complimentary, I must say!" 
 exclaimed Mr. Bell. "Who are you likening to swine 
 — all three of us ? You certainly can't mean me ! You 
 know you would have but to say the word and I would 
 even join the Mormons. I would never turn and rend 
 you. My saintly brother never would. He is a Meth- 
 odist, and they are the people of all people who 
 make it a point to always keep the Golden Rule. You 
 can't mean that girl — she belongs to the Christian 
 Scientists, and they, you know, are God's chosen 
 people — the peeople who are to usher in the Millen- 
 nium." 
 
 "Edward," said Mrs. Bell, in tones of decision and 
 severity, "you have said quite enough for to-night." 
 
 And her grown-up boy was silenced. 
 
 While Clara, in her room, was repeating these 
 words of Mary Eddy, "Divine love always has met and 
 always will meet every human need," Mrs. Bell was 
 thinking of the child, and finding equal comfort in 
 meditating the words of another writer, Paschal 
 Randolph; words having practically the same meaning: 
 "For every ill there is a remedy, God-sanctioned and 
 provided.'' And she felt that even in this affliction of 
 blindness, God would send them timely aid and they 
 would be delivered from the dark, overhanging cloud. 
 
 Edward, too, had a ray of hope. 
 
72 TIMELY AID 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 The Dear Old Bible. 
 
 ONE of the first things Rev. John Bell noticed in 
 his brother's elegant home was a neat little 
 Bible on the drawing-room stand. 
 
 "Only for show ; probably never read," was 
 his silent comment. 
 
 One evening not long after their arrival, the min- 
 ister pointed to this book, saying : "Brother, I am glad 
 you give God's Word a place in your house ; and it 
 is my prayer that you will also give it a place in your 
 heart." 
 
 "John Bell, I do — though you and I accept it in a 
 different light. I cannot place explicit confidence in 
 that book from cover to cover, as I find so many seem- 
 ing contradictions therein. 
 
 "If it is an all-sufficient chart and compass, why 
 have we to-day nearly two hundred different de- 
 nominations, all taking this for their guide, yet draw- 
 ing conclusions therefrom as diversified and numer- 
 ous as the sands of the sea? 
 
 "We have a minister here in Rochester that I enjoy 
 hearing. He often tells us : 'The Bible is not a book, 
 but a library ; and the term "book" applied to it is mis- 
 leading ; as it implies unity of authorship and unity 
 of teaching — neither of which can be affirmed of the 
 Bible.' " 
 
 "I do not know," exclaimed John with spirit, "what 
 kind of a church would pay for such infidel teaching 
 as that; but the world is fast filling up with this 
 dangerous New Thought. These people are no better 
 
TIMELY AID 73 
 
 than agnostics. Old Theology is having a battle to 
 fight ; but she must protect herself against these so- 
 called religions that would overthrow the Bible." 
 
 "Do you object," said Edward, "to the New The- 
 ology because it differs from that of our father's, in 
 that it is a religion of the head as well as the heart? 
 We advance in the material way. Why not keep pace 
 in the spiritual?" 
 
 "Brother, you do not understand, if you think this 
 minister I referred to denounces the Bible. He accepts 
 it, but not in its entirety." 
 
 "Edward, that is a book that cannot be taken frag- 
 mentary. " 
 
 • "Listen, John. This minister says the fault lies in 
 the wrong use of the Bible. I would like to read from 
 his article in a little magazine of which he is the 
 editor: 'The Bible rightly interpreted and applied, we 
 have always contended, is a work of great value in 
 spiritual education ; while where it is regarded as ab- 
 solute authority, or falsely labeled "God's Word" — a 
 claim it never makes for itself — or where it is set up 
 as the one standard of human thought and action 
 through the ages, or made to annul the teachings of 
 science and common sense, it becomes a stumbling- 
 block to human progress and a hindrance rather than 
 a help. So the Bible has brought peace to the world, 
 and it has incited war ; it has fostered slavery and de- 
 stroyed slavery ; it has elevated woman and degraded 
 woman, according to the parts of the Bible quoted and 
 applied.' " 
 
 "That preacher is wrong," declared John, with great 
 vigor. "The Bible has never brought anything but 
 peace to the world." 
 
 "Well, perhaps you think so ; but when I remember 
 the poundings Uncle Joe gave me, while quoting: 
 
74 TIMELY AID 
 
 'Spare the rod and spoil the child,' it doesn't strike 
 me that it brought peace in that case. How much 
 more the good man might have done for me if he had 
 only held to the text : 'He that is slow to anger is bet- 
 ter than the mighty ; and he that ruleth. his spirit than 
 he that taketh a city/ It seems to me that the Bible 
 Uncle Joe used to read and ponder, and the Bible I 
 love to read, are two entirely different books ; but 
 then, I suppose you think he being a Methodist, has 
 gone to Heaven, while I am, unfortunately, headed 
 for the other place?" 
 
 "That is something we will not discuss," said John. 
 "I am not your judge. 
 
 "True, some passages of the Scripture are more ap- 
 plicable to our needs than others ; but I do want to im- 
 press upon you this fact: spiritually interpreted, the 
 Bible never contradicts." 
 
 "No, I suppose not," replied Edward with a twinkle 
 in his eye. "But for example, let us suppose : Here is 
 a young man anxious to get away from the farm and 
 out where we can see something of the world. Would 
 you think the farm the place for him, and quote Scrip- 
 ture : 'The rolling stone gathers no moss ?' I am of 
 a different opinion ; I would like to see him move on ; 
 so I quote from the same good book : 'A setting hen 
 never gets fat/ What are we to do in such a case?" 
 
 "Oh, Edward !" exclaimed- the brother in possession 
 of a scholastic theology ; "neither of those sayings are 
 in the Bible. You had better read it." 
 
 "Edward knows better," put in Mrs. Bell. 
 
 "Well, perhaps I have misquoted," admitted Edward ; 
 "but considering that I never read the Bible, I hope 
 you will make allowances. 
 
 "Come to think, I guess I did read those maxims 
 in the almanac instead. However, they correspond 
 
TIMELY AID 75 
 
 with two that I know are in the Bible — and which are 
 side by side : 'Answer not a fool according to his folly 
 lest thou also be like unto him/ and 'Answer a fool 
 according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own con- 
 ceit/ I believe Solomon must have been the wisest 
 man that ever lived, if he understood his own proverbs. 
 Tell me, which of these commands are we to obey? 
 You may not call them contradictions, but there are 
 too many Scriptural difficulties for me. I have paid, 
 my dear boy, for your theological training, in hope 
 that sometime I may be enlightened by a thorough 
 Bible student." 
 
 A silence reigned, embarrassing for one at least, until 
 Mrs. Bell came with timely aid and answered the con- 
 undrum. 
 
 "It seems to me," she said, "we were well advised 
 by this same writer how to meet antagonistic, unreason- 
 able opponents : 'Go from the presence of the foolish 
 man when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowl- 
 edge/ Argument to the point of strong contention 
 never did any one any good. 'There are none so blind 
 as those that will not see,' and 'Convince a man against 
 his will and he is of the same opinion still/ As a rule, 
 it is better not to argue religion — even the one in the 
 right may become overheated in the excitement of the 
 debate, and by answering a fool according to his folly 
 'be also like unto him.'' 'But a soft answer turneth 
 away wrath/ The wise man shows his colors, though 
 he may say no more than, T do not agree with you/ 
 He must let his opponent know where he stands, lest 
 the man 'be wise in his own conceit/ There is one 
 way to answer and one way not to answer/' 
 
 "True," said the minister. "You see how it is, Ed- 
 ward — the Bible does not contradict itself, after all. It 
 is well that we should obey the poet's injunction : 
 
76 TIMELY AID 
 
 Study it carefully, 
 Think of it prayerfully. 
 
 Deep in thy heart let its pure precepts dwell. 
 Slight not its history, 
 Ponder its mystery; 
 
 None can e'er prize it too fondly or well. 
 
 Accept the glad tidings, 
 The warnings and chidings, 
 
 Found in this volume of heavenly lore ; 
 With faith that's unfailing 
 And love all-prevailing, 
 
 Trust in its promise of life evermore. 
 
 "Very true/' replied Edward. "But when we do 
 study its history and ponder its mystery, then it is that 
 our eyes are opened to the fact, that it contains seem- 
 ing contradiction. It seems that we enlightened people 
 of this day and age cannot be blind to the fact that 
 it has between its covers — particularly in the Old Testa- 
 ment, many absurd and obscene passages, the songs of 
 Solomon, for example. We know the Bible was writ- 
 ten by men, some of them more righteous and en- 
 lightened than others. We know that many times since 
 the original manuscripts w r ere compiled, men have 
 translated, revised and condensed them. And while 
 we may hold the book in great reverence, I think we 
 should be reasonable on this subject, as well as on any 
 other, and not over-estimate its value. 
 
 "Let us study with our eyes open to the God in 
 Nature, employing free thought, reason and common 
 sense, as we read. Take, for instance, that little story 
 about the disciples having not the wherewith to pay 
 their taxes. They caught a fish, and so found the 
 silver. Such a thing may actually have occurred — I 
 do not dispute the story. But much of the Bible I 
 
TIMELY AID 77 
 
 look upon as figurative : Jesus said, 'Follow me and 
 I will make you fishers of men.' Those fishers of men 
 may have found a man, ministered unto his needs and 
 received from him silver in recompense. 
 
 "Now, to illustrate: Clara here may be a love-sick, 
 disappointed maiden, and I try to comfort her with the 
 assurance, 'There are just as good fish in the sea as 
 have ever been caught.' You know, and she knows, 
 that it is men I am talking about. The disciples may 
 have caught a man. 
 
 "You are mistaken, John, if you think I discard the 
 Bible. It is a dear old book ; a most interesting and 
 fascinating study. But I must be off to my lodge. I 
 shall be glad to 'talk Bible' with you some other time. 
 Let me leave one question with you before I go. Do 
 you regard this testimony of St. Augustine as un- 
 questionable: T was already Bishop of Hippo, when I 
 went into Ethiopia with some servants of Christ there 
 to preach the Gospel. In this country we saw many 
 men and women without heads, who had two great eyes 
 in their breasts, and in countries still more southerly 
 we saw people who had but one eye in their fore- 
 head'?" 
 
 "Edward Bell, God pity your ignorance!" exclaimed 
 John. "That is not in the Bible. It is only a hand- 
 down from ecclesiastical history, and not to be ac- 
 cepted." 
 
 "Well, perhaps I have quoted from some other book 
 than the Bible," said Edward. "But I accept it just 
 as I do many things in your most sacred Book. The 
 Primitive Christians found it necessary, for their ow T n 
 safety, to speak and write mystically. It was a custom- 
 ary style in that country and in those days ; hence our 
 Bible is an esoteric study. 
 
 "No doubt St. Augustine preached to just such 
 people as we meet now. Preached to men without 
 
78 TIMELY AID 
 
 heads — that is, devoid of anything like deep intellects ; 
 preached to men with eyes in their breasts — to those 
 who had a religion of the heart, but not of the head. 
 There is a vast difference between people who hear 
 and feel and people who hear and think. 
 
 "But worst of all, this poor, working saint of early 
 days came upon a people who had but one eye in 
 their foreheads. No doubt they already possessed a 
 creed in which they were absolutely satisfied. I have 
 preached to people myself, so set in their creedal be- 
 liefs, so steeped in their old, preconceived notions, that 
 they had no eye for anything new— but just a one-sided 
 viewpoint. 
 
 "Well, the time is short, and I must go," said Ed- 
 ward, in conclusion; "but as I said, I shall be glad to 
 discuss the Bible with you some other time, providing 
 you will throw aside prejudice — lay away your 
 Methodism just for a little while, and come to me in 
 the attitude of a little child. I can't preach to a man 
 with but one eve in his forehead. Good-by." 
 
TIMELY AID 79 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Who Healed the Child? 
 
 rpHE REV. JOHN BELL rather prided himself on 
 not being the least bit sectarian. 
 
 While he attended the Methodist church more 
 frequently than any other, he visited the numer- 
 ous sister churches, the Salvation Army meetings and 
 those of the Faith Cure Mission. 
 
 In the latter place, he loved to sit and listen to the 
 Bible stories of healing, and to similar testimonies of 
 present-day deliverance from sickness and disease. 
 
 The man who healed all manner of diseases left this 
 as his last message: ' "Go ye into all the world and 
 preach the gospel to every creature. * * * And 
 these signs shall follow them that believe : in My name 
 shall they cast out devils ; they shall speak with new 
 tongues ; * * * they shall lay their hands on the 
 sick and they shall recover/' 
 
 Although John had prayed for the recovery of the 
 sick, and God had seemingly been deaf to his call, yet 
 his faith in the Bible did not waver ; for there it was 
 written : "The prayer of faith shall save the sick." 
 
 During these weeks of darkest hours, since the 
 minister had learned that his child was blind, the good 
 man had prayed continuously ; yet no change was per- 
 ceptible. But, he thought, "Let patience have its per- 
 fect work." Jesus healed the blind. He would have 
 left no uncertain promise ; and He said, "The works 
 that I do ye shall do also." He must be accepted at 
 His word. 
 
 How the minister clung to that promise ! How wil- 
 lingly would he have given all that he possessed to 
 
80 TIMELY AID 
 
 save his only child from passing through life in dark- 
 ness. 
 
 With trembling voice, one night he arose and told 
 these kind, good brothers and sisters of his little girl's 
 affliction, and requested, in her behalf, an interest in 
 his prayers. They prayed with him. 
 
 Would it avail ? We will wait and see. 
 
 Faith cures, though not frequent, occasionally occur. 
 Blind faith, not combined with understanding, occasion- 
 ally will reach the throne of grace, and meet with re- 
 ward. There are two kinds of heaiers : those who 
 understand the theory — the fundamental principles 
 underlying the work — and those who do not. 
 
 There are two kinds of musicians : those who have 
 made a study of the laws of harmony, and those whom 
 we term natural-born musicians. The latter strike 
 chords and play sweet melodies in spite of their igno- 
 rance. 
 
 According to history, there were at least three hun- 
 dred years of frequent healings, after Jesus was 
 crucified. 
 
 To-day primitive Christianity is being restored, and 
 with it the Christ method of healing. 
 
 Clara attended without variation the Christian 
 Science services, and at the earliest opportunity went 
 through class with one of Mrs. Eddy's loyal students ; 
 paying one hundred dollars for ten days of instruction. 
 
 She told her teacher of the little motherless, blind 
 charge entrusted to her, and ofifered to pay for the 
 treatments herself, if only she would take such a diffi- 
 cult case. And the teacher said in reply to her request : 
 
 "There is nothing difficult with God. But first, I 
 make the request that you obtain the consent of the 
 child's father. If he is willing to purchase a copy of 
 'Science and Health,' and to study it daily, come to 
 me and I will do all I can." 
 
TIMELY AID 81 
 
 It seemed to Clara that she had a hopeless task be- 
 fore her. The healing of the blind child was as noth- 
 ing compared to. the securing of the lather's .willing 
 consent. But the girl was very much in earnest. 
 
 She went to Mr. Bell and asked if he would allow 
 Hazel to be treated by Christian Science. 
 
 "If you have any faith," replied he, "you may do, 
 yourself, what you can, for baby, as long as you re- 
 frain from calling it Christian Science. I want none of 
 those people here. I would give no other healer but 
 you a chance ; you are an exception. I will let you 
 work for the child. But mind, you are not to keep 
 talking to me about Christian Science and the 'Star- 
 crowned Woman.' " 
 
 Clara rejoiced. This concession was a little start 
 in the right direction, and gave hope that John would 
 fully accept Christian Science in its entirety, in the 
 future. She felt at liberty to realize the Truth. She 
 ran away to the baby, repeating to herself the "Scien- 
 tific Statement of Being," as given by Airs. Eddy in 
 "Science and Health." 
 
 Xow Uncle Edward had n^ver missed a single day 
 that he had not lovingly, earnestly placed his hands 
 upon the sightless eyes and held thoughts like these: 
 "Hazel, God never created you blind. The Bible de- 
 clares 'The hearing ear and the seeing eye behold the 
 Lord hath made both of them.' Yes, dear, He gave 
 you perfect sight. 
 
 "You are walking in the light, not in darkness. 
 Listen to me : Those eyes were made to see !" 
 
 Gradually it became quite apparent to the watchful 
 uncle and aunt that the child's eyes were gaining in 
 brightness ; that already she distinguished light from 
 darkness, and was taking notice of large objects. Her 
 healing was coming gradually. 
 
 The Great Physician had a blind patient who re- 
 
82 TIMELY AID 
 
 turned, saying: "I see men as trees walking/' He 
 went away from the Master, the second time, declar- 
 ing: "I see clearly/' He had not realized instantane- 
 ous healing. 
 
 One evening the uncle of the blind child, after hav- 
 ing just given her a treatment, came leading her into 
 the parlor where the family were assembled. 
 
 She held in her hands a bright-hued picture book. 
 Breaking away from her uncle, she ran straight to 
 her Papa, trying to call his attention to her book, and 
 manifesting the greatest delight, as she turned its 
 pages. Nothing could be more convincing; her every 
 action indicated that she could see. 
 
 As it dawned upon them, that her blue eyes were 
 bright and no longer closed to the things of this world, 
 each heart was rejoiced beyond measure. Her father 
 shouted for joy, "O, glory to God! I have prayed for 
 this." The nurse exclaimed, "I have treated many 
 days for this ; but Christian Science, rightly applied, 
 never fails." And the uncle, with notes of happiness 
 and confidence in his voice, said, at the same time, "I 
 have worked for this." Pretty Polly, the talkative 
 parrot, who thus far had been a quiet observer, in 
 solemn tone announced, "I have done what I could." 
 Everybody laughed. 
 
 Polly, like her master, would always have something 
 to say, wise or otherwise, in season or out of season. 
 No one was ever surprised at anything this uncom- 
 monly bright bird might say or do. She would pray 
 and swear all in the same minute. Polly was noted 
 for her erratic behaviour. 
 
 Mrs. Bell had known all the time that three 
 somewhat different kinds of mental work were being 
 used with this child. She, it must be confessed, had 
 more confidence in her husband's work than that of 
 the others, and was looking forward to the time when 
 
TIMELY AID 83 
 
 she might be able to point in triumph to the same as a 
 demonstration of the power of suggestion, as they prac- 
 ticed it. Now she wondered how they were ever to 
 know for a certainty who did heal the child. 
 
 The nurse entertained not the least doubt in her 
 mind, but that it was just one more wonderful proof 
 of the power of Christian Science to heal ; and she felt 
 more grateful than ever to Mrs. Eddy, the discoverer 
 and founder of all this. 
 
 Be it said to the credit of the minister, that he did 
 think that perhaps Clara's treatment might have as- 
 sisted him in his prayers. 
 
 As if reading their questioning minds, wise Polly 
 thought it time to speak again. In a solemn voice, 
 emphasizing the first word, she repeated, "Thine is the 
 kingdom, the power and the glory. Amen." Then 
 she sang one line of a hymn: "Praise God from whom 
 all blessings flow." 
 
 "The dear bird," said Airs. Bell, "is teaching a les- 
 son. We should not care to say, with sectarian pride, 
 that the child was healed through Christian Science, 
 or through any other denomination. 
 
 "She was healed through the Christ method. She 
 was rescued through Divine Power. It is enough for 
 us to know that we have done our part faithfully and 
 well, and to the best of our understanding and ability ; 
 for men and women are but channels through which 
 God works. There is but one way of accounting for 
 this wonderful thing. Heaven came to us with timely ' 
 aid. As it is written: 'Paul may plant and Apollos 
 may water, but it is God that giveth the increase/ ' 
 
 Clara wondered if it were possible for such a grand 
 demonstration as this to come under their immediate 
 observation without making Christian Scientists of 
 them all. Surely this must open their eyes. 
 
84 TIMELY AID 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 The New Thought. 
 
 THE morning following the day on which the pet 
 of the household had been discovered to be 
 healed, dawned a most glorious Easter Sunday. 
 Mrs. Bell, at the breakfast table, suggested 
 that they vary the rule and all attend the same church, 
 announcing that Sarah, the cook, had willingly an- 
 nounced to care for the baby during the morning hours 
 of service. She turned to Clara, who stood by Hazel's 
 chair attending to her wants, and sweetly invited her 
 to accompany them. 
 
 John naturally made inquiry what church they pre- 
 ferred to attend. 
 
 His brother replied, "Well, if you will allow it, I 
 believe I had better take you where you can get some 
 new thoughts. I assure you the preacher won't carry 
 you into Hell ; nor will you find the Devil there. We 
 usually attend what is called the Plymouth Church. In 
 my opinion, it is founded on the rock ; as solid and 
 safe a one as that upon which our Pilgrim Fathers 
 landed." 
 
 Asking no questions, but presuming they were going 
 to the Unitarian Church, or some other liberal church, 
 they wended their way to that beautiful edifice on 
 Plymouth Avenue. As they entered, hundreds of 
 voices, accompanied by the tones of a great organ, were 
 united in singing "Heavenly Comfort." This hymn 
 was followed by the pastor, requesting the congrega- 
 tion to unite in silent prayer, remembering their 
 veteran pilgrim, the "old man eloquent"- — Dr. J. M. 
 Peebles, who was at this time on the ocean deep, re- 
 
TIMELY AID 85 
 
 turning once again from missionary work in India and 
 other foreign lands. "God bring him safely home," 
 he prayed. 
 
 Wherever Spiritualism goes, the name of Dr. Peebles,, 
 who now styles himself as "eight-seven years young," 
 accompanies it. 
 
 The reverent heads, bowed in silence, cast a spell 
 of deeper peace over the audience than any audible 
 prayer could have done. 
 
 Then the pastor's rich and earnest voice was heard 
 in the following invocation : 
 
 "With the glorious sunshine all about us, the joy 
 of life in our hearts, the knowledge of the truth making 
 us free from the fear of death and separation, we 
 come into this little circle this morning, to give some- 
 thing of the abundant joy that is ours, to those who 
 are seeking the light. These dear spirits who yearn to 
 give expression of their love ; who are seeking to make 
 known their identity to their friends ; who wait and 
 listen and watch for their coming, are our friends, 
 and gladly we take them by the hand and would give 
 them of our strength and our confidences, that they 
 may make their messages intelligible and their personal 
 presence clearly manifest. May such a wealth of love 
 and confidence be ours. May so much of power come 
 through us that the whole world shall feel that the sun- 
 light of truth is a-dancing to the darkest corners and 
 the remotest conditions. 
 
 "We lift our hearts to those who understand. We 
 raise our voices in prayer to the Spirit of All Good, 
 all life, all truth, and would have our hearts open to 
 the inflowing of all possible good that may come to 
 us. Amen." 
 
 Our visitors trembled ! What trap was this they . 
 had been led into ? Could this be a Spiritualist prayer ? 
 
86 TIMELY AID 
 
 Could this be a Spiritualist Church? What else could 
 such statements as they had just heard mean? 
 
 Once more the people were singing. Oh, the sweet- 
 ness and feeling expressed in that hymn, "Beautiful 
 Beckoning Hands" ! 
 
 Call it Spiritualism or what he would, John Bell felt 
 that it was good for him to be there. It seemed that 
 his Alice had never been so near him since the day 
 of her death. 
 
 Edward Bell saw clearly the spirit form of his dear 
 grandfather, who for many years had been in spirit- 
 life. And during the singing of this hymn, he held 
 sweet communion ; and he wondered if his brother were 
 seeing and hearing what he was witnessing ; it was 
 all so real to him. 
 
 During the singing Mrs. Bell was comforted by the 
 touch of her own baby's hand. But poor Clara saw 
 and heard nothing, so earnest was she in her "treating" 
 against malicious animal magnetism — the only attitude 
 to assume when in the presence of Spiritualists. From 
 the beginning to the end of that service, she silently 
 repeated over and over these words of Mrs. Eddy: 
 "The erroneous beliefs know as hypnotism, mesmerism, 
 Spiritualism, mediumship, clairvoyance, theosophy, 
 mental-telepathy, esoteric-magic, black art, psychology, 
 demonology, astrology, oriental witch-craft, palmistry, 
 mental-science, etc., are fabrications of mortal mind, 
 products of human belief, dream-shadows, falsities of 
 the sinful senses, which have no relation to Truth. 
 They cannot formulate, project or in any manner put 
 into human consciousness any law, or claim of law, 
 which will operate to cure sickness, disease and dis- 
 cord. These beliefs cannot produce fear, reaction, re- 
 laxation, discouragement, death or the reversal of God's 
 law, because they have no force and are annulled by 
 the Divine law of Spirit." 
 
TIMELY AID 87 
 
 The pastor of the church had a glad message this 
 Easter morn, and it sank deep into the hearts of those 
 in the audience prepared to receive it. But his message 
 neither helped nor harmed Clara. 
 
 The minister of the Plymouth Church was a man 
 well versed in all branches of learning. But his only 
 desire seemed to be to present the truths of Spirit- 
 ualism. His discourse this morning was very sweet 
 and simple, not an effort to exhibit his great scholarly 
 attainments. 
 
 As is customary in all churches on Easter Sunday, 
 he read a chapter on the resurrection of Jesus ; choos- 
 ing for his text, "If the dead rise not then is not 
 Christ risen," and again, "If Christ be not risen then 
 is our preaching vain." 
 
 He showed his hearers how much more Easter Sun- 
 day meant to them than to people of other denomina- 
 tions. Continuing, he said, in part : 
 
 "All religionists believe that the dead rise — not here 
 and now, but in that far-away future. Xo one doubts 
 the story of Jesus' resurrection. But these orthodox 
 philosophers tell us that Jesus had a resurrection here 
 to prove that beyond the grave, in the unseen world, 
 there is to be a resurrection for all. To me, that is 
 like attempting to prove the existence of fruit-bearing 
 orange trees in Iceland, by pointing them out in 
 Florida. 
 
 "The Bible is filled with accounts of the angels 
 coming. 
 
 "In the vision of Jacob's ladder, angels were not 
 only seen ascending heavenward but they were seen 
 descending. 
 
 "We have good authority for asserting that Jesus 
 was a Spiritualist. 
 
 "Moses and Elias appeared to him on the Mount 
 of Transfiguration. And nothing could be more easily 
 
88 TIMELY AID 
 
 understood that his answer to those who came ques- 
 tioning the resurrection. It does seem to me that that 
 alone ought to convince our opponents : 'That the dead 
 do rise even Moses showed in the bush.' 
 
 "If the angel that John saw in Patmos and conversed 
 with, had once been an inhabitant of earth, no doubt 
 those angels — those two young men who came and 
 rolled away the stone from Jesus' sepulchre — were 
 likewise from among the millions who have departed 
 from this earth. All the churches are a unit to-day 
 in confidently repeating : 'The graves were opened and 
 many bodies of the saints which slept arose, came 
 forth, went into the holy city and appeared unto 
 many' * * * 'And when the women saw not his 
 body they came saying that they had also seen a 
 vision of angels, which said that he was alive/ 
 
 "But should we go forth among all those who pro- 
 fess to believe the sweet story of old, throughout this 
 broad land, preaching that we this day have seen a 
 vision of angels and received messages, I venture to 
 assert that not one out of a hundred would believe 
 our story. 
 
 "Yet how many such occurrences happened two and 
 three thousand years ago ! 
 
 "It is Spiritualism that brings answer to the ques- 
 tion: 'Man giveth up the ghost and where is he?' ' 
 
 Then the choir sang these beautiful words of Sarah 
 Whittlesey : 
 
 THE ANSWER. 
 
 They are safe in the harbor, the white sails are furled : 
 The anchor is cast by the evergreen shore. 
 
 They are living together, in God's lovely world — 
 Our loved one, our lost ones, they sorrow no more. 
 
TIMELY AID 89 
 
 Away, far away in the violet glow, 
 
 Across the wide waste of a fathomless sea, 
 Unthinking of us, are they resting? No! No! 
 Our loved ones, our lost ones, are with you and me. 
 
 Yes, here by the home hearth, with love-lighted eyes, 
 A breath of their presence drifts through our dim days. 
 
 They come swift as thought, from their home in the skies — 
 Our loved ones, our lost ones, they guard us always. 
 
 Our friends walked home in silence. They found 
 little Hazel chasing her pet kitten around chairs and 
 under tables. 
 
 Her father inquired of Edward, "Do you claim to 
 have treated this child as a Spiritualist?" 
 
 "Yes ; I gave the child the help I have learned to 
 give in Spiritualism,' 1 said Edward. 
 
 Xo more was said ; but a little later Edward gave the 
 minister a religious story to read entitled "Words That 
 Burn," written by Lida Briggs Browne. And John 
 went to the privacy of his own room, and there studied 
 the last lesson he had received from an author and 
 lecturer of Massachusetts, who was favorably known 
 to all students of the truths of Spiritualism. 
 
 Clara spent the busiest day of her life treating 
 against Spiritualism, and those other "erroneous be- 
 liefs, dream-shadows, falsities of the sinful senses," etc. 
 They must not be given power to injure her or her 
 friends, she determined. 
 
90 TIMELY AID 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 The Minister in Danger. 
 
 THE Easter service had made a strong impression 
 upon our Methodist brother. The story "Words 
 That Burn/' had also added to that favorable 
 impression and Edward remarked to his wife : 
 "We didn't know what easy game we had here. Per- 
 haps if we had hurried him to our church when he first 
 came, we would have had a full-fledged Spiritualist by 
 this time." 
 
 When John's eyes began to open, and he saw how 
 wrongfully he had misjudged, he came to Edward in 
 a willing questioning spirit and asked, " How long 
 since your first investigation of this subject?" 
 
 "Ever since I returned to Rochester. I have reason 
 to love this religion that has done so much for me. 
 Modern Spiritualism had its birth in the little village 
 of Hydesville, near this city, in the year 1848, when 
 the Fox sisters and their mother heard the rappings. 
 We may say we have been to the 'Mother Church' this 
 day. Do you remember, John, before we removed to 
 Michigan, that family living next door by the name of 
 Elliott? We left old Fido with them. Never can I 
 forget the home welcome these people gave me. Their 
 son Homer, who had been my most intimate friend, was 
 not there to greet me. He had passed on to the Sum- 
 mer Land. And his parents spoke of my coming to 
 them as a God-send. You had all this in a letter. 
 They called me their adopted son, and no child of their 
 own could have been treated better than I was. When 
 the Angel of Death took them away from me I did 
 not mourn as one without hope. They were Spiritual- 
 
is, 
 
 TIMELY AID 91 
 
 ists and taught me that true spiritualization was the 
 growing up out of the merely physical into the spir- 
 itual selfhood. They taught me that true spiritualiza- 
 tion would bring peace on earth and good will to men. 
 One of the first Spiritualist writers the world ever had 
 was Paschal Randolph, and in his book 'Dealings with 
 the Dead', he said : 'A man is no more a Spiritualist 
 simply because he believes in physically demonstrated 
 immortality than a child is a horse because born in a 
 stable.' It means much to be a Spiritualist. We have 
 not always met here in this fine church. When I was 
 a child we met in parlors and in halls. When I first 
 began to investigate I thought, and I do still, that much 
 which goes by the name of Spiritualism, was such as 
 would shock a conscientious Christian. But in Jesus' 
 time, those who turned away saying : 'Can any good 
 thing come out of Nazareth?' missed what I consider 
 the grandest teaching that was ever presented to man- 
 kind. Well, I attended lectures and seances, I found 
 both ignorant workers and impostors, found men no 
 better than many of your Methodists. One fakir, I 
 remember, nearly drove all my confidence and hopes 
 away. O, he was a wonderful medium, and the dol- 
 lars just rolled into his pocket, until found out, and the 
 good Spiritualists drove him away. One phenomenon 
 we got through him was 'spirit music' on a violin. All 
 his work was done in the dark as 'conditions were bet- 
 ter,' he said. Well, one skeptical person in the au- 
 dience thought he w r ould expose his fakery, and he 
 did. He suddenly threw a light upon the scene. Our 
 'heavenly music' came from that instrument, placed 
 out of reach of the medium or any other person, but 
 yet it was being played upon. How ? By the use of a 
 whip in the hand of the medium. And you will find 
 to this day others no better than he, working solely for 
 dollars and cents. 
 
92 TIMELY AID 
 
 "The first message I ever received was given through 
 a rapping medium, spelling by means of the repeated 
 alphabet, one rap meaning no ; two raps, uncertain ; and 
 three raps, yes. I asked the name of my visitor. 
 'T. G. 'was the rapping response. This I knew must be 
 Thomas Gorman. 
 
 ' 'How long since your death?' I inquired. 
 
 " 'Three months.' 
 
 "Where?' 
 
 " 'Railroad accident.' 
 
 "Now Tom was an Irishman who had once worked 
 for our father, and whom I had met by chance when 
 passing through Detroit on my home journey. Judge 
 of my surprise a few days later, when I met on the 
 streets of Rochester this same Tom Gorman. When 
 I expressed astonishment he said: "There is no place 
 in the world like old Rochester for me.' But, said I, 
 I thought you were dead. 'Dead ! well if I was dead, 
 I'd come to life agin for the sight of you.' I met this 
 man, whether in the body or out of the body I cannot 
 tell. But I have my doubts about his ever having died, 
 and think my message was but an example of the me- 
 dium's mindreading or something else. 
 
 "Some of my Spiritualist friends assured me that I 
 was mediumistic and that if I would comply with the 
 requirements I would receive direct messages. In my 
 room alone I was suddenly surprised by the vision of 
 a beautiful ball of light, apparently not of this world. 
 Twice, three times it came to me and vanished. I was 
 sure* it was an occult sign until chancing to look out of 
 the window, there across the street I discovered some 
 boys playing at the sun with a looking glass. I tell you, 
 my brother, I have been up and down through the 
 whole gamut and I find that all that is passing current 
 for psychic science is not genuine. They call them 
 spirit messages often, when in reality their origin is in 
 
T I M ELY AID 93 
 
 the sub-conscious mind of the supposed seer. I can 
 recommend no better book on this subject than The 
 Widow's Mite' by Dr. I. K. Funk. Say, John, did you 
 ever pass a lonely cemetery in the middle of the night? 
 I did. I was alone, and just ahead of me at the top 
 of the hill in front of the burial ground, I could plainly 
 distinguish the motionless form of a woman, standing 
 directly in my path, one arm uplifted toward Heaven. 
 Should I turn and run, or go on and meet her fear- 
 lessly? For a little while I stood undecided. My great- 
 est fear was that this apparition might prove to be a 
 Methodist come back to tell me w T hat she knew of the 
 wrath to come. 
 
 "But then it might be a friend anxious to deliver a 
 true message. I approached nearer. The moon went 
 under a cloud. I fearlessly, reached out my hand and 
 touched, not a ghost, but a shock of corn stalks, that 
 some farmer had dropped off his wagon. But, John, 
 it has taken only a little while to tell of the few dis- 
 appointments and to uncover mistakes I have made 
 since coming into Spiritualism. I have not the time to 
 tell you of all the genuine demonstrations that it has 
 been my good fortune to see. 
 
 "Among them I have received slate-written messages 
 from both father and mother. The medium was a 
 stranger to us all. Mr. Elliott's people compared them 
 with letters they had received and the writing was iden- 
 tical with that penned in earth life. I have had one 
 actual proof after another that human personality does 
 survive the shock of bodily death. As you come into 
 Spiritualism, the true, the genuine kind, you will be 
 filled with awe, with joy, with reverence, and exclaim, 
 T have found the pearl of great price/ You can't 
 help it. 
 
 "In the year 1852 Beales E. Litchfield, one of our 
 old-time mediums and lecturers, learned of this won- 
 
94 TIMELY AID 
 
 derful, satisfying truth. In his book, 'Forty Years' In- 
 tercourse with the Spirit World/ he says: 'I used to 
 tell my Christian friends that unless some one who 
 had crossed the dark valley could return and manifest 
 his presence, I could see no evidence of continued life. 
 "These friends would tell me that before the Chris- 
 tian dispensation and at the beginning of that dispen- 
 sation, occasionally some spirit had returned to bring 
 to mankind the knowledge of the future life, referring 
 me to Moses, Elias and others ; but they would con- 
 clude by saying : 'That dispensation is passed. God 
 has closed that intercourse, but has given us His holy 
 word, the Bible. But the Bible record could not sup- 
 ply my need. I was like a hungry traveler calling for 
 food, and these Christian teachers were like the mas- 
 ter of a mansion who invites a famishing traveler in to 
 view tables spread with linen and dishes but no food 
 and assures this guest that the day before, many hun- 
 gry ones had been fed, and gives him a book telling all 
 about the preparation of the feast and who were there 
 to partake. Can his hunger thus be satisfied? Can 
 the hunger and thirst for a ray of light from the world 
 beyond be satisfied by reading the Bible ? I agree with 
 our writer, J. K. Wilson, 'Men come and go having 
 various ideas on the subject of death, its meaning and 
 result. • It strikes me that the only possible way to 
 become enlightened on this subject, is to consult some- 
 one who has experienced it. I think all thinking men 
 will agree with me on this point.' Can you think of 
 any thing that could make a person happier than the 
 positive assurance that his departed loved ones could 
 return to him? Can you think of any thing that 
 would have a greater influence over men to inspire 
 them to better, higher and nobler conduct? If spirit 
 return is true, if words of advice, comfort and cheer 
 from the Summer Land can enter desolate homes, we 
 
TIMELY AID 95 
 
 can trust to the angelic hosts to verify the saying : 'The 
 refulgent ray of Truth is all piercing, it can never be 
 quenched, its light shall yet illumine the world.' We 
 will never know real happiness here until we have 
 gained the understanding that 'the grave has no vic- 
 tory.' 
 
 "The Spiritualists are a peculiar people — they believe 
 that this prayer which has been ascending for two 
 thousand years, 'Thy kingdom come,' was intended to 
 be answered. The Bible informs us : "Where the 
 spirit of the Lord is there is liberty/ And a Spiritual- 
 ist believes that one has just as much liberty to return 
 as he has to depart. Some claim that this is too sin- 
 ful a world for angel visitants ; but remember 'the 
 earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof.' It may 
 be that our departed still have a work here to do. 
 Men and angels both find their greatest happiness in 
 helping others. There is a saying familiar among 
 Spiritualists, 'Love is the bridge that leads from earth 
 to heaven.' If we are on this bridge, what can hinder 
 our meeting ? 
 
 "I do not like to hear: 'He has gone to that bourne 
 from which no traveler returns.' " 
 
 Then going to a drawer Edward took out two pho- 
 tos, saying as he handed them to his brother: "Do you 
 remember how father and mother looked?" 
 
 "O, they are perfect!" exclaimed John. "Where 
 did you get them? I did not know we had their pic- 
 tures." 
 
 "These, my dear brother, are spirit photos. I sent 
 my picture to a spirit-artist, a perfect stranger, and 
 these are what he returned. O, its wonderful, it is 
 grand. I can't find words to tell you all." 
 
 If silence gives consent, then John Bell was not 
 objecting. Clara had overheard much. She could 
 see that apparently he did not oppose, and she re- 
 
96 TIMELY AID 
 
 solved that if it was within her power to prevent it, 
 he should not be led astray. He must read "Science 
 and Health." If there was any danger of his turning 
 Spiritualist, God helping her, she would come to him 
 with "timely aid" and make him see the errors therein. 
 
TIMELY AID 97 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 A Warning Voice. 
 
 OXE beautiful morning, John Bell made the an- 
 nouncement that he would take the 10 o'clock 
 train and go out to Niagara Falls. Accordingly 
 he departed. 
 
 The family, an hour later, was surprised at his re- 
 turn. He simply told them that he had changed his 
 mind and would visit the Falls some other day. 
 
 That evening he and Clara were alone, Edward 
 and Anna having gone to a party. He looked up from 
 Hie daily paper and exclaimed : "That was a timely 
 warning indeed." 
 
 "Do tell us, Mr. Bell, what you are referring to." 
 
 "This paper tells of another sad railroad accident; 
 trains collided between here and Buffalo. There were 
 many injured and a few lost their lives. And it is the 
 very train I would have taken if I had not had a pre- 
 sentment or warning. I was in the depot awaiting 
 my turn at the ticket window, when suddenly my Aunt 
 Kate appeared to materialize and I never heard any- 
 thing plainer than those words : 'Don't go to-day, 
 there's danger." And then she as quickly vanished. 
 
 "Why, Mr. Bell, you are not leaning toward Spirit- 
 ualism are you?" 
 
 "Well, what objection have you to it?" 
 
 "I have this objection to it," said she. "It is not only 
 foolish but it is wrong. Mrs. Eddy says in 'Science 
 and Health' : 'When the science of mind is under- 
 stood, Spiritualism will be found mainly erroneous.' " 
 
 "Strange she should say that. I have'nt investigated 
 either belief to any great extent, but from the little I 
 
98 TI M ELY AID 
 
 have read if you leave out the doctrine of spirit return, 
 I should say those two churches are as near alike as 
 two peas in one pod. I would call them twin sisters. 
 Now, Clara, I have seen strange and wonderful phe- 
 nomena and unless it does come from the Spirit World 
 how to account for it is beyond me." 
 
 "You ought to read 'Science and Health/ and then 
 you would see whence come all phases of manifesta- 
 tion," said Clara. 
 
 "Mrs. Eddy says : 'It should not seem mysterious 
 that mind, without hands can move a table, when we 
 already know that it is mind power which moves both 
 table and hands. Apparently you saw your aunt. 
 You are living under mesmeric influence. Yes, you 
 thought you saw her, but it was all in mortal mind." 
 
 "No doubt you are right," said Mr. Bell. "Jesus 
 thought he saw Moses and Elias, but it was all in his 
 mind — it must have been. Say, Clara, if seeing tables 
 tip and hearing rappings was all, then Mrs. Eddy's 
 explanation might satisfy me. But when questions are 
 answered and names and information are given, it 
 would almost seem as though there must be an intelli- 
 gence back of it. Just see what the Psychical Re- 
 search Society is uncovering. And do not the bright- 
 est minds, some of our greatest scholars and scientists, 
 look for the explanation in Spiritualism? Now I have 
 been told, I can't say how true it is, that there was a 
 time when Mrs. Eddy was a Spiritualist, or at least 
 investigated Spiritualism." 
 
 "It is false," cried Clara. "She answers that charge 
 herself. Here, let me read to you from her book 
 "Miscellaneous Writings" :T am not a Spiritualist and 
 never was. I understand the impossibility of inter- 
 communion between the so-called dead and living. 
 There have always attended my life phenomena of an 
 uncommon order, which Spiritualists have , miscalled 
 
TIMELY AID 99 
 
 mediumship.' Now, Mr. Bell, isn't that plain enough? 
 Aren't you reading these continued articles, slander- 
 ing Mrs. Eddy, in 'McClure's Magazine'? I wish you 
 would read the answers thereto in the paper called 
 'Human Life.' " 
 
 "I am reading both papers, are you?" said Mr. Bell. 
 
 "I am reading the articles in 'Human Life/ replied 
 Clara. 
 
 "Do you mean to tell me, Clara, that Mrs. Eddy has 
 never made any investigation of Spiritualism and yet 
 condemns it?" 
 
 "She knows something about it. Between the years 
 1860 and 1875, she associated with and even lived in 
 the homes of two Spiritualists, a Mrs. Clark and a 
 Mrs. Crosby. She never disputes having taken treat- 
 ments from the magnetic doctor, P. P. Quimby. But 
 he did not help her, neither did he teach her anything 
 new. She could see no glorious truth, no great mis- 
 sion in Spiritualism." 
 
 "Well, it seems to me there must be some truth in 
 the statement somewhere or we wouldn't hear so many 
 speaking about it," said John. "I have heard some- 
 where, that Christian Scientists are mind-readers. Is 
 that true?" 
 
 "I will answer your question by reading from 
 'Science and Health.' Said Clara. 'The greater or less 
 ability of a Christian Scientist, to discern thought 
 scientifically, depends on his genuine spirituality. This 
 kind of mind-reading is not clairvoyance ; but it is im- 
 portant to our success in healing, and is one of the 
 special characteristics thereof.' You see, Mr. Bell, it 
 differs from clairvoyance." 
 
 "Yes, said the blind man, I see," replied Air. Bell. 
 
 Then stepping to the book case he took from the 
 shelf a book entitled "Spiritual Law in the Natural 
 World," by Eleve, saying, "Please read this. I like it. 
 
100 TIMELY AID 
 
 It is one of the books Mrs. Bell uses when treating the 
 sick." 
 
 Clara inquired if this book contained formulas. And 
 when informed that it did she did not believe she 
 cared to study the book, for, said she, "Mrs. Eddy, in 
 the Church Manual, forbids her practitioners resorting 
 to written formulas, and now as to the book you have 
 there teaching how to heal the sick through the potent 
 power of thought, read it, and what ever truth you may 
 gain there, comes indirectly from Mrs. Eddy, and no 
 credit is given the discoverer. Is that honesty? I 
 believe they present it to the world under the name 
 'Divine Science' giving Christian Science none of the 
 honor, thus showing no sense of justice." 
 
 "Clara, that reminds me of what my brother said 
 of Christian Scientists." said John. "And as I look at 
 it, it does seem to me Spiritualists are justified in tak- 
 ing the position that the truths Mrs. Eddy is promul- 
 gating have long been their own, and that her church 
 is but a counterfeit. Nothing more than Spiritualism 
 under another name." 
 
 "O Mr. Bell, how little you know about it. Why, 
 we are no more alike than black and white," 'said 
 Clara. 
 
 "Can you tell me, Clara, what great objections you 
 have to the use of formulas? I know that Spiritual- 
 ists are doing some fine work, even if they do employ 
 them. As an outline of work what harm can formulas 
 do? Have we not in the Lord's prayer a given for- 
 mula? Why I used to be so narrow that when I saw 
 an Episcopalian priest reading a prayer, I thought the 
 prayer could never ascend any higher than the church 
 ceiling, seeing it was read from a prayer book. Now 
 about the use of formulas when treating the sick, it 
 is true that taking the letter without the spirit, repeat- 
 ing words like the repeating of a graphophone, of 
 
TIMELY AID 101 
 
 course we could not expect to reap grand results from 
 such a treatment. It is not the use of them but their 
 misuse that one needs to object to." 
 
 "It may be that Spiritualists sometimes heal," said 
 she, "but the healings are never permanent like those 
 in Christian Science. They manipulate their patients. 
 Laying hands on the sick they are in error. Are they 
 not thereby employing material means to assist them? 
 and Mrs. Eddy denounces magnetism and electricity 
 as the most subtle of all evils." 
 
 "Clara, it is obvious that you have never heard of, 
 or else you are forgetting, the many cases where Spir- 
 itualists have healed through absent treatment, there- 
 by vindicating their claim to be able to heal through 
 the power of mind alone. My sister tells me that the 
 laving on of hands is only symbolic of God's powerful 
 hand at work. Now, why do you say that electricity is 
 a subtle evil always to be shunned and avoided ?" 
 
 "Because Airs. Eddy has called attention to the fact 
 that hypnotism may work either good or evil, that is 
 why. We know that mental science can lead one down 
 as well as up, while Christian Science can never work 
 harm. Any thing that can work both good and evil 
 needs to be let alone/' 
 
 "Now, Clara, a good rule applies both ways. Ob- 
 jecting to mesmerism on that ground does not satisfy 
 me. The same rule might be applied to all other 
 things. I build a fire in this grate and it warms the 
 house on a cold day and thereby comfort is obtained. 
 My neighbor builds a fire that plays havoc and burns 
 his home. Xow should the people dispense with fire 
 because it has done this harm? Again, you and I 
 read our Bible, our minds unfold and we profit by it. 
 Our neighbor studies the Bible, gets wrought up and 
 excited, goes insane over the subject of religion, kills 
 his family to send them to Heaven, and is chained up 
 
102 TIMELY AID 
 
 in some asylum and there ends his days. I have heard 
 of cases where people have gone insane over reading 
 the Bible. Now don't you think it would be better if 
 people would take warning and leave the Bible entirely 
 alone? That would be like your other philosophy. 
 Magnetism in the hands of the right person is an agen- 
 cy for good. No true Spiritualist will control a sober 
 man until he fancies himself drunk. But, on the con- 
 trary, he will use his mental power to make the in- 
 ebriate sober, and the wicked man better. Spiritual- 
 ism holds up the hands of any man that would re- 
 form. Let me read to you a few words from 'The Sun- 
 flower', one of the foremost papers of that denomina- 
 tion. Here are a few extracts from a little article in it 
 by Eliza Calvert Hall, under the heading, 'Negative 
 and Positive:' 'The negative person is always looking 
 for God and longing for a manifestation of God. The 
 positive person knows that in God he lives and moves 
 and has his being, and that he himself is or may be the 
 highest manifestation of God in all this universe. The 
 negative person looks back to his ancestors to see what 
 manner of man he is destined to be. The positive per- 
 son looks upward and forward to his own ideal and 
 makes himself accordingly. The negative person looks 
 at heredity and sinks into despair. The positive per- 
 son fights heredity 'with environment and lives in the 
 Eternal Hope. The negative person thinks he is made, 
 and that's an end of it. The positive person believes 
 he is in process of making, and it doth not yet appear 
 what he shall be. The negative person looks forward 
 to a heaven beyond the grave. The positive person 
 says : 'The kingdom of heaven is within me,' and goes 
 to heaven every day of his life without waiting 
 for death to take him there. The kingdom of heaven 
 is at hand. The negative person is afraid of draughts, 
 of heat, of cold, of dampness. The positive person be- 
 
TIMELY AID 103 
 
 lieves that a creature made in the image of God cannot 
 be harmed by heat, or cold, or moisture, and he goes 
 about his daily work without consulting the thermom- 
 eter. The negative person boils his water and dreams 
 of microbes. The positive person drinks from the 
 hydrant or cistern when he is thirsty, and smiles at 
 the idea of a microbe killing a man. In a word you are 
 positive to a thing when you control it ; you are nega- 
 tive to it when it controls you/ " 
 
 John laid down the paper and commented : "I have 
 just read from a copy of 'The Sunflower' and 'The 
 Sunflower' is my brother's denominational paper. You 
 say that Spiritualism is wholly apart from Christian 
 Science. He says that Christian Scientists have appro- 
 priated the teachings of Spiritualism unto themselves. 
 Well, I don't know what to think !" 
 . "I see," retorted Clara, "you are trying, in a 
 round-about way, to accuse Mrs. Eddy of parading 
 in Spiritualist garments. But, be that as it may, on 
 other points there is one thing sure : She will be much 
 older than she is to-day before she accepts of their 
 hobby 'spirit return.' " 
 
 "You are right, Clara, I guess, when it comes to 
 that point they are wholly apart.'' But his voice took 
 on a longing tone. He was thinking of Alice and other 
 departed loved ones. 
 
 Said he: "It seems to me it must be a comforting 
 religion, this Spiritualism. Perhaps now they have an 
 important truth that your church does not teach." 
 
 "No, indeed, my church does not teach it. Mrs. 
 Eddy condemns it above all things. She says : 'Spirit- 
 ualism would transfer men from the spiritual sense 
 of existence back into the material sense.' ' 
 
 "Clara, I sometimes think that your leader is igno- 
 rant as to the teachings of Spiritualists. Certainly she 
 cannot understand their teaching as I understand it. 
 
104 TIMELY AID 
 
 Either she has jumped at conclusions or has received 
 her information from so-called Spiritualists who are 
 ignorant as to their true philosophy. As I under- 
 stand her, Mrs. Eddy never either here or hereafter 
 gives to man material existence. In 'Miscellaneous 
 Writings' she says : 'The physique is simply thought 
 made manifest/ Now if Spiritualists look up to one 
 man more than another for instruction and guidance I 
 think I can safely say it is their 'Pilgrim/ Dr. J. M. 
 Peebles. So let us hear how he defines matter: ' Spir- 
 itualism is naturalism on the plane of conscious activ- 
 ities, matter being only a shadow, an appearance, a 
 symbol of the reality, the imperishable substance/ " 
 
 "Does he say that ? What right have people to make 
 use of Mrs. Eddy's teaching without giving her 
 credit?" 
 
 "Well, Spiritualists claim that this was taught be- 
 fore a line of 'Science and Health' was written," said 
 he. "Clara, to thinking people, it is becoming 
 exceedingly common whenever Evangelical Christian 
 Science, Divine Science or any other branch of the 
 New Thought is mentioned, to hear her loyal follow- 
 ers repeat: 'Stolen from Mrs. Eddy! It is only a 
 dangerous counterfeit of the genuine coin.' You know 
 it is only of late that I have taken up this line of read- 
 ing, but the Spiritualist books I have read and the 
 Spiritualists with whom I have consulted, teach me 
 that they do not have to call the spirits back. They 
 come back, or more correctly speaking, they are here, 
 and that it is the mission of Spiritualism to 'transfer' 
 men clairvoyantly, from the material sense of existence 
 forward into the spiritual sense, where the inhabitants 
 of the two worlds may meet. Now, if this is the way 
 it is, then Mrs. Eddy is a poor critic. Spiritualists de- 
 clare that the exalted ones cling to earth with their 
 lofty endeavor to regenerate and uplift humanity, with 
 
TIMELY AID 105 
 
 their hope of being able to reveal to man his glorious 
 destiny. And there is many a doubting man when it 
 comes to the question of continued existence. You 
 ask for no proof that personality survives bodily de- 
 composition, but I would like to see this thing demon- 
 strated. I would, indeed. It is not enough for me that 
 Mrs. Eddy says: 'Any evidence of death is unreal, 
 it contradicts the facts of being.' It is not enough for 
 me that the great evangelist Moody, left this assur- 
 ance : 'Some day you will read in the papers that D. 
 L. Moody of East Xorthfield, Mass., is dead. Don't 
 you believe a word of it ! At that moment I shall be 
 more alive than I am now. I shall have gone up high- 
 er, that is all ; out of this old clay tenement into a house 
 that is immortal, a body that death cannot touch, that 
 sin cannot taint, a body fashioned like unto His glor- 
 ious body. I was born in the flesh in 1837 ; I was born 
 in the spirit in 1856. That which is born of the flesh 
 may die. That which is born of the spirit will live 
 forever.' No, that is not enough. Though all of our 
 religious reformers proclaim 'no death,' the weight of 
 their testimony is as nothing to me compared with the 
 assurance of one individual who has passed through 
 the dream called death. Paschal Randolph in his book 
 'Dealings with the Dead,' claims to have received from 
 his dear girl friend, Cynthia, these words : 'Dead ! 
 this it is to be dead! thought I. How blind, how deaf 
 we are not to see and hear and know that all things tell 
 of life, life, life, being real and true ; while nothing, 
 nothing in the great domain of our God, speaks one 
 word of absolute death, of a blotting out of soul.' 
 Now, I say, Clara, if such a thing is possible, let me 
 receive my assurance of the existence of the Great Be- 
 yond from those who know, for until I do receive such 
 assurance, I have none at all." 
 
 Clara looked at him pityingly and reproachfully. 
 
106 TIMELY AID 
 
 "Mr. Bell, I am very sorry to hear you speak like 
 this. Do not let surrounding influence get the best 
 of you. Do please listen to my warning voice and 
 steer clear of all this occultism. There are mediums 
 on every hand subverting and perverting their pow- 
 ers to commercial and selfish uses. These Spiritual- 
 ists would deceive, if possible, the very elect. I ad- 
 mire your brother and his wife, but they have been de- 
 luded. I am holding the thought that some day they 
 will denounce it and accept the truth. The loss of your 
 dear wife has made your feelings the more easily 
 worked upon, and people here are trying hard to in- 
 fluence, even to mesmerize you, but soon, I think, you 
 will see the folly of it all, and Spiritualism will cease 
 to have any attraction. Heed my warning, read no 
 more on that line, but leave the dangerous subject 
 entirely alone." 
 
 What more she would have said we know not, for 
 just at this juncture Mr. and Mrs. Bell returned. 
 
 His cheery voice greeted them : 
 
 "Well, children, how has the time passed with you? 
 I have no doubt Miss Clara has been preaching Chris- 
 tian Science. It's a great doctrine ; I can't dispute 
 that. Let me tell you a story I heard to-night. Two 
 serpents lay by the roadside ; seeing a man approaching, 
 one said to the other, 'Let us bite that man/ but the 
 other replied, 'No, I wouldn't if I were you. That 
 man is a Christian Scientist. He will say, 'No hurt, 
 ho bite, no snake,' then where will you be?' " 
 
 All laughed at this joke except Clara. She retorted: 
 "Very good. Your story goes to prove that the denial 
 of the existence and power of evil, is the warning 
 voice that keeps evil at its proper distance. I am glad 
 that I ever accepted such a religion." 
 
 Mrs. Bell and the minister clapped their hands and 
 laughed still more heartily. And Edward, meeting 
 
T I MEL Y AID 107 
 
 the directed glance from Clara's snapping eyes, noting 
 her flushed cheeks and the indignant expression on her 
 rosy lips, thus apologized : "I regret having repeated 
 such a silly story. Something warns me, henceforth 
 to keep silent, to wait until I can say something sensi- 
 ble and impressive." 
 
 "My brother," said the minister, "as that is some- 
 thing you have never done from your youth up, if you 
 heed this warning, we may expect never to hear your 
 voice again." 
 
 Edward left the room making use of the deaf and 
 dumb alphabet, but no one understood his meaning. 
 
108 TIMELY AID 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 The Founder of Mental Healing. 
 
 WHAT a beautiful place I" said Clara Vader to 
 herself, as she walked out into the garden 
 and grounds and looked back at the large 
 white house with green blinds, nestling 
 among the trees "The Home on the Hillside. " 
 
 "In the laying out of the grounds and in the choice 
 and cultivation of the flowery nothing more perfect 
 could be desired. It is an ideal morning, the dew is on 
 the flowers, the rays of the newly risen sun are just 
 glinting through the trees, the birds are fluttering and 
 singing in their gladness, but I am not happy, though 
 I am made to feel at home here." Then came a deep 
 sigh, "But they are Spiritualists." 
 
 She chose a rustic seat in a shady nook. 
 
 Mrs. Bell was also taking an early morning walk 
 and came unexpectedly upon her. At the first glance 
 she noticed the troubled look on the girl's face and 
 asked for the meaning. 
 
 "Well, seeing you have asked the question, I do not 
 like to be told as I am by your husband quite fre- 
 quently, that Mrs. Eddy in his opinion, is not the dis- 
 coverer and founder of metaphysical healing, and that 
 Spiritualists have always understood it. Mr. Bell is 
 either mistaken, or he takes pleasure in trying to rob 
 Mrs. Eddy of her just deserts." 
 
 Mrs. Bell smiled sweetly and answered in gentle 
 tones : 
 
 "You must not mind w T hat my husband says. He 
 does not always choose his words wisely. He loves 
 his church dearly, and that is all right, but I often 
 
TIMELY AID 109 
 
 tell him, that there is a little too much sectarianism 
 about him. He is right ; Spiritualists do heal through 
 the power of suggestion. He has experienced the heal- 
 ing. 
 
 "And we have several old books telling of Divine 
 Healing among the Spiritualists away back in the six- 
 ties. Spiritualism gives the broadest freedom of 
 thought. A few of its members trust to materia 
 medic a. Others la} 7 more stress upon hygiene. Others 
 trust to magnetic treatments. But mental healing is 
 the rule among them." 
 
 "Yes, Airs. Bell, but let me read to you from my 
 'Sentinel' here, the difference between Christian 
 Science treatment and your 'suggestive mental ther- 
 apeutics' : These things do not come under the same 
 classification, for Christian Science healing is not ac- 
 complished on the same basis. The suggestions of the 
 hypnotist emanate from the mortal mind, whose con- 
 cepts are a mixture of good and evil beliefs, and do 
 not involve spiritual ideas, which are the emanation 
 of divine principle ; hence the effect of such sugges- 
 tions could not be uplifting and spiritualizing, although 
 the suggestion of physical health might produce in 
 the subject a temporary relief from his ailments. To 
 the uninformed the results of suggestive mental 
 therapeutics and Christian Science may seem to be 
 identical, but the fact remains that there is but one 
 right method of healing, namely the one followed by 
 Christ Jesus, which is accepted and employed by Chris- 
 tian Scientists to-day." 
 
 "Clara, they are criticizing the method by which I 
 was healed, after the doctors had pronounced my case 
 incurable," said Airs. Bell. "My healing proved to be 
 something more than temporary relief. It occurred 
 several years ago. My cure is permanent. It is a mis- 
 taken belief you hold that the 'Mental Scientists/ 
 
110 TIMELY AID 
 
 would leave God out of the question. Not so in the 
 books and papers I have studied. They teach that 
 to be healed physically we must be healed morally, 
 that the recreative work must be commenced and 
 carried on from within or not at all. Now who is 
 the founder of Mind Cure? The Scriptures teach 
 the power of mind over matter, but for many cen- 
 turies, this method of healing was lost or nearly so ; 
 the Christian Scientists, students of Mrs. Eddy, 
 would give her credit for all the enlightenment we have 
 on this subject. We meet Spiritualists who feel equal- 
 ly certain that the re-discovery of the potent powers of 
 thought came through their channel and as proof they 
 point to the teaching of Andrew Jackson Davis and 
 other great seers. 
 
 "Clara, I would like to point out some of the ideas 
 that were in the air at the time Mrs. Eddy was penning 
 'Science and Health/ Spiritualists, without the use of 
 medicines were then healing the sick. There is no use 
 of any one's trying to dispute it. In their books and 
 in their lectures the truth was being proclaimed. Yes, 
 the very same truths that your church advocates were 
 being given to the world. I am not making an arbitrary 
 assertion, but stand ready to prove this any time that 
 you will permit. These ideas, I say, were in the air 
 and Mrs. Eddy imbibed them, perhaps insensibly im- 
 bibed them — just how it happened I cannot say. 
 
 "In an old Spiritualist book 'Dealings with the Dead 5 
 by Paschal Randolph, we are told: 'The bad pas- 
 sions, as envy, strife, anger, lust and revenge, not only 
 destroy the body, but also mar the spirit/ This book 
 was copyrighted in the year 1861. Mrs. Eddy copy- 
 righted Science and Health in the year 1875 and in 
 her book we read: /Lurking error, envy, revenge, 
 malice or hate, will perpetuate or even create dis- 
 ease/ 
 
TIMELY AID 111 
 
 "This man tells that he saw two men in warm dis- 
 putation. They lost their temper, and he learned this 
 lesson, that mental excitement would react physically, 
 and in running its course, bring on inflammation of 
 the brain, a positive fever. 
 
 "Now, in your text book Mrs. Eddy says : 'Inflam- 
 mation is an excited state of mortal mind that is not 
 normal.' " 
 
 "I know she does, but the knowledge came to her 
 without consulting Spiritualism," said Clara. 
 
 "That may be true, as in the case of the invention of 
 the telephone. Alexander Bell and Elisha Gray, un- 
 acquainted with each other, unacquainted with each 
 others works, entered their discoveries at the patent 
 office on the same day. Mr. Bell has the name of being 
 the inventor. Mrs. Eddy may be justified in saying 
 that she has borrowed nothing from Spiritualism. But 
 it is another thing when, in the spirit of criticism, she 
 declares 'Spiritualism is wholly apart from Christian 
 Science/ On another page of 'Dealings with the 
 Dead/ we find these words : 'The w T ill is Lord of 
 man's accidents and incidents, and if his reason guide it 
 well nothing can withstand its force. So far can this 
 power be carried and exerted that pain may be over- 
 come and even death itself be kept at bay.' ' 
 
 "There, Mrs. Bell," said Clara, "is where you see 
 a resemblance between the teachings. I do not. Mrs. 
 Eddy denounces the exercise of human will. Be it 
 understood that will-power is not a factor in our heal- 
 ing." 
 
 "Really, Clara, I cannot grasp Mrs. Eddy's mean- 
 ing," said Mrs. Bell. 
 
 "The will is not a dangerous agency, if reason guide 
 it well, that is toward God — Good. And there is a 
 place in the book where Mrs. Eddy says : 'Instead of 
 blind and calm submission to the incipient or ad- 
 
112 TIMELY AID 
 
 vanced stages of disease, rise in rebellion against them/ 
 What objection can a person have to a man's willing 
 to be good or willing to be well? Who can show me 
 the harm in it ? 
 
 "Mrs. Eddy seems to have a diction all her own 
 and her followers will take you up on many points. 
 For example, if you say 'I am spirit/ they will tell you 
 that is not correct. We should say 'man is spiritual/ 
 Ask them if they do not look upon man as being im- 
 material substance, they will answer yes. Inform them 
 that Mr. Webster defines spirit as immaterial substance 
 and their reply will be' Mrs. Eddy says man is not 
 spirit, man is spiritual/ 
 
 "To all our teachings they make objections. Clara, 
 I am one among thousands who have received benefit 
 through Spiritualism. I say nothing against your way 
 of healing, you should say nothing against mine. The 
 disciple John came to Jesus complaining, 'Master we 
 saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he fol- 
 loweth not us ; and we forbad him because he fol- 
 loweth not us/ Jesus replied, 'Forbid him not; for 
 there is no man which shall do a miracle in nr£ name, 
 that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not 
 against us is on our part/ Clara, if you can testify 
 that there is healing efficacy in Christian Science, 1 can 
 testify to the same for Spiritualism. I might turn to 
 some of my old books and read you dozens of cases 
 of healing independent of drugs or surgery, that Spir- 
 itualists claim to have experienced in days before Mrs. 
 Eddy was healed or taught the rule of healing. I 
 might take you to hundreds of living witnesses who 
 have relied upon Spiritualism and have received all 
 they could ask or hope for; but what good would it 
 do ? My stories would have no charm for you. In the 
 end you would say: 'That is not Christian Science/ 
 It is an undisputed fact, even by the. woman herself, 
 
TIMELY AID 113 
 
 that before 'Science and Health' was written, Mrs. 
 Eddy went to P. P. Quimby, in Portland, Me., and 
 asked for treatment. Materia Medica had failed her 
 and here apparently she was receiving help. I cannot 
 say whether C. R. Edwards was familiar with facts 
 in the case, and so competent to speak with authority ; 
 but he tells us in his book "Chris-To-Lu-Tion:' P. P. 
 Quimby, for many years prior to 1863, practiced 
 'Mental Healing' with marvelous success. He did not 
 believe in church creeds, but was noted for his efforts 
 to do good, and his faith in some invisible power to 
 heal the sick in answer to his earnest desire. Quimby 's 
 treatment was first an explanation of what he believed 
 then, not audible prayer, but silent mental work. 
 Quimby thought that his success demonstrated the cor- 
 rectness of all his theories and his opinions ; especially 
 his notion that disease was not a reality, only a belief.' ' 
 
 "Well," retorted Clara, "that is what this man says, 
 but if you will read what Mrs. Eddy has to say on the 
 subject, when accused of having taken many of her 
 ideas from Quimby's conversations and manuscripts, 
 you will find that the man had no definite idea of how 
 his healings were accomplished, simply called it 'elec- 
 tricity' and had no truths to impart to her." 
 
 "Then," said Mrs. Bell, "we will not argue longer. 
 
 "Let them acknowledge this good woman as being 
 the discoverer and founder of Christian Science. 
 
 "I am not saying, nor insinuating that Airs. Eddy is 
 not original in any way, that her writings are in every 
 instance borrowed. You undoubtedly think I am try- 
 ing to claim all the credit for Spiritualism. I am not. 
 
 "Now let me point to the teachings of a man of the 
 medical profession, whose religious views no one can 
 tell us to-day. Recently I enjoyed the privilege of 
 looking^ through some very old volumes owned by a 
 ladv whose name and address I am unable to ^ive. 
 
114 TIMELY AID 
 
 These books had been in her family for more than 
 one hundred years. 
 
 " 'Domestic Medicine' by Dr. Buchan of London, 
 England, bore the date of 1785, but was written sixteen 
 years previous thereto. This book claimed my atten- 
 tion and caused me to exclaim : 'There is no new thing 
 under the sun.' Dr. Buchan, one hundred and thirty- 
 nine years ago voiced my sentiments : T think the ad- 
 ministration of drugs always doubtful and often 
 harmful and would much rather teach how to avoid the 
 necessity of them than how they should be used. The 
 influence of fear.' This much I had copied when in 
 order to catch my train, I had to drop the book and 
 run. But I do remember reading that the influence of 
 fear was to bring on disease, that all pain and disease 
 could be attributed to inharmonious states of mind. 
 He had found cancers prevalent among Sisters of 
 Charity and in his opinion these good women were suf- 
 fering from the effects of religious melancholy. He 
 traced all physical effects to mental causes. Just as 
 mental healers, under their various names, are doing 
 to-day. On several pages of the book he cautioned his 
 readers to guard against fear and all evil thoughts ; 
 and he recommended cheerfulness and like attributes 
 as the very best remedies. 
 
 "Have I answered the question 'Who is the re-dis- 
 coverer of Mental Healing? I do not claim that I 
 have. I simply have this to say : Let us not forget the 
 name of Dr. Buchan, but remember him as a man ahead 
 of the age in which he lived. 
 
 "Now, if our doctors had but taken up these few 
 seeds of truth, planted so long ago, and elaborated 
 upon the subject, they might have arrived at something 
 more deserving the name of science than that which 
 they now offer. 'He came unto His own and His own 
 received him not.' 
 
TIMELY AID 115 
 
 : 'The light shineth in darkness and the darkness 
 comprehendeth it not/ Looking for those who have 
 taught and practiced Mental Healing, we can go back 
 farther than the much talked of Dr. Quimby of a half 
 century ago or that great spiritual healer, Dr. Newton. 
 We can go back farther than Dr. Buchan of a century 
 and a half ago. 
 
 "He who has a knowledge of the wonderful Yoga 
 teachings has broadened out and knows that no in- 
 dividual of this age or any other is entitled to monop- 
 oly or a corner on truth. The Orientals possessed a 
 knowledge of the power of mind over matter. 
 
 "The study of occultism as taught by select teachers, 
 most of them advocates of the Spiritual Philosophy, is 
 not only very interesting but very helpful. When a 
 man has never given Spiritualism an hour's study he 
 should be silent as to its errors and deficiencies. It 
 may appear to you that I am claiming that Mrs. Eddy's 
 teachings are stolen from B.uchan, Davis, Quimby, 
 Randolph, Berkeley or from some one else. But that 
 is not the point I wish to make. You have just made 
 the assertion that people everywhere are appropriat- 
 ing Mrs. Eddy's truth to themselves. Clara, remem- 
 ber this, if you wear away Mrs. Eddy's dress she is 
 left without that garment; but truth cannot be stolen. 
 You can put on her spiritual garment and she is still 
 in possession of the same she had before. We have 
 been trying to answer the question 'Who is the found- 
 er of Mind Cure. The more enlightened we become 
 upon this subject the more it looks like an act of pre- 
 sumption to point and say with unrestricted admira- 
 tion: 'Here is the discoverer and founder.' It is not 
 for me to say that Mrs. Eddy had ever read one line 
 in Spiritualism before she penned her books and es- 
 tablished her church. Here is how brother John ex- 
 pressed himself: 'As an unprejudiced outsider I look 
 
116 TIMELY AID 
 
 upon Christian Science and Spiritualism as twin-sis- 
 ters, but not very loving ones. 
 
 "Sad that that last clause has to be added. 
 
 "Mrs. Eddy says that she has never dabbled in Spir- 
 itualism. Therefore, I cannot accuse her of borrowing 
 from us. She says that the Bible was her only text- 
 book, that she had no other guide, that to her, Christian 
 Science has been a direct revelation. Surely she ought 
 to know if any one, so there let it rest." 
 
 "Yes, I think we had better," said Clara. "It is time 
 now for me to return to the house and look after 
 Hazel." 
 
TIMELY AID 117 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 The Difference Between Christian Science and 
 Spiritualism. 
 
 INCREDULOUS as it may seem, the Rev. John 
 Bell from his first day's lesson in Spiritualism, 
 hungered and thirsted for more light on the 
 subject. He attended all the services and eag.- 
 erly drank in every word. He devoured his brother's 
 books, thought of this glorious truth by day and 
 dreamed of it by night. 
 
 He sought its every phenomena. He was surprised 
 at finding himself so receptive, but then Spiritualism, 
 Mental Science, The Xew Thought, and all these 
 things were so very different from what he had ever 
 imagined them to be. He could see now that secta- 
 rianism had blinded him. Unbridled criticism against 
 Spiritualism is almost everywhere indulged in, but 
 there is encouragement in the prophecy of the poet 
 Sickles : 
 
 "After a while the clashing creeds 
 That lead to strife and hate with men, 
 
 Will yield to our superior needs 
 
 And love will prompt the lip and pen." 
 
 Not another word did the Rev. John Bell have to 
 say against it. The pregnant truth, "Perfect God and 
 perfect man," now appealed to him as a beautiful 
 thought, where once such a teaching had horrified 
 him, as well as all the other teachings contained in 
 this new doctrine. 
 
 Clara was not so easilv converted. She could not 
 
118 TIMELY AID 
 
 forget that Mrs. Eddy had given warning against 
 Spiritualism and that should be sufficient reason why 
 any good Scientist should steer clear of the cult. 
 
 They were all together one evening. Edward Bell 
 was pointing out the merits of Spiritualism, John 
 Bell not referring to its demerits, but quietly listening 
 with a look of interest and credulity upon his face, 
 Clara, being in fear lest her beloved minister would be 
 over influenced and would put confidence therein, as- 
 sayed to speak. "Excuse me, Mr. Bell, but as to the 
 things you are telling about seeing and hearing from 
 those who have departed, I must speak my mind free- 
 ly, these things cannot be. Mortal sense bears false 
 testimony ; it is always deceiving us. Things that ap- 
 pear to be are not. Mrs. Eddy has given us, in our 
 text book 'Science and Health/ one whole chapter of 
 warnings against Spiritualism. Now to prove the im- 
 possibility of spirit return, she gives this illustration: 
 'The caterpillar transformed into a beautiful insect, is 
 no longer a worm, nor does it return to fraternize 
 with or control the worm. Such a backward transfor- 
 mation is impossible in science." 
 
 "Very true," replied Edward Bell. "Logical rea- 
 soning so far as it goes; but let us look at this both 
 pro and con, as there are always two sides to every 
 question, two ways of looking at things. Rev. S. Weil, 
 a Spiritualist, in his book entitled the 'Religion of the 
 Future/ says : 'The transformed caterpillar, now a 
 winged butterfly, soaring freely in its new element, 
 the air, in which as a caterpillar, it could not soar, can 
 certainly visit the old cabbage field; and if it were 
 endowed with intelligence enough, and its mortal 
 friends were susceptible, might be conceived as being 
 even anxious to reveal its presence.' Clara, no amount 
 of arguing on your part, or even Mrs. Eddy's saying 
 that 'When the Science of Mind is better understood, 
 
TIMELY AID 119 
 
 Spiritualism will be found mainly erroneous, can con- 
 vince me that our departed friends now invested 
 with a spirit-body or thought-body, like the one worn 
 by Jesus when he passed through closed doors, cannot 
 return and converse with their friends still in earth- 
 life. Leaving out angelic forms and voices, and one 
 or two minor things, why, my dear girl, the beliefs of 
 your church and those of mine are almost identically 
 the same. And if you have a text-book replete with 
 spiritual instruction, I say you are getting it, not di- 
 rectly but indirectly from Spiritualism. As I have 
 heard Air. Austin, our pastor, say : 'Christian Scien- 
 tists and Theosophists, all children of the Spiritual 
 philosophy, sometimes, like naughty children, abuse 
 their mother. 
 
 "Mrs. Eddy never could believe in Spiritualism, and 
 she has borrowed nothing/' retorted Miss Clara. 
 
 "I am not accusing Airs. Eddy of having stolen any 
 of her ideas, but I stick to the assertion that her ideas 
 are not so new as they might be. Let Spiritualists 
 branch out under new names if they must. If Spirit- 
 ualism is the mother and she gets abuse, well what of 
 it? It is the nature of all true mothers to deeply love 
 the aggressive child. And I, as a Spiritualist, can say I 
 love the Scientists — you especially. If people are climb- 
 ing heavenward it is foolish for us to care what path 
 they may choose to take. Any way to get there. The 
 principles of the negro Sam, in Airs. Stowe's 'Uncle 
 Tom's Cabin,' suit me. He believed in flopping some 
 times. He had talked first on the side of the Master 
 Shelby, and then on the side of the mistress, and ex- 
 cused himself by saying: Tt was conscience that sent 
 me after Lizzy. I really 'spected Mas'r was sot on my 
 bringing her back. When I found misses was sot the 
 contrar, dat ar was conscience more yet. So, yer see, Ts 
 persistent either way I think is right. I sticks up to con- 
 
120 TIMELY AID 
 
 science and holds on to principles. Dis yer 'sistency's a 
 thing what ain't seed into very clar, by most anybody. 
 Now, yer see, when a fellar stands up for a thing one 
 day and night, de contrar de next, folks ses (and natur- 
 ally enough dey ses), why he ain"t persistent. But let's 
 look into it. I hopes the gen'lmen and der fair sex will 
 'scuse my usin' an or'nary sort o 'parison. Here! I'm 
 a tryin' to get top o' der hay. Wal, I puts up my 
 larder dis yer side; 'tan't no go; — den, cause I don't 
 try dere no more, I'm persistent in wantin' to get up 
 which ary side my larder is ; don't you see ?' 
 
 "But now, Clara, I think if the Christian Scientists 
 had left the ladder in its first position they would have 
 been just as sure of getting to Heaven. I am afraid 
 that you and brother will have to change the position 
 of your ladders, and I guess that I can be persistent in 
 letting mine remain where it is and climb to Heaven 
 by the Spiritualist route." 
 
 "If I may be allowed to speak plainly," retorted the 
 girl, "you are always more persistent than consistent." 
 "Just what you seem to be, Clara, so it's six to one and 
 a half dozen to the other, isn't it?" 
 
 " Well I am both persistent and consistent in saying, 
 that the man who understands Christian Science will 
 find there almost nothing in common with Spiritualism. 
 But if he should, let him remember Mrs. Eddy's advice 
 in her chapter on Christian Science and Spiritualism. 
 The more closely error simulates truth, the more 
 impotent it becomes as a belief. The nearer a false 
 belief approaches truth, without passing the boundary 
 where, having been destroyed by divine Love, it ceases 
 to be an illusion, the riper it becomes for destruction." 
 "Well, Clara, I have met some Spiritualists who 
 wouln't speak a good word for Christian Science, nor 
 do they like it when people tell them their doctrines are 
 very much alike, I never could see that I resemble my 
 
TIMELY AID 121 
 
 brother John, although I have often been told that I 
 did ; some one met us today, and remarked that he 
 could hardly tell one from the other. If I could judge 
 by the expression of John's countenance, he felt very 
 much offended, and I am sure I did/' 
 There was a tendency with Clara, every time she 
 thought of Spiritualism, to look for imperfection ; it 
 was the same with Edward Bell every time he thought 
 of Christian Science. Man usually finds what he looks 
 for. Mr. Bell picked up the little magazine, "Reason" 
 and read a paragraph from a contribution by Rev. F. 
 A. Wiggin. "Mankind is often found playing Spirit- 
 ualism in the back yards of metaphysical schools of 
 science, mental healing and Christian Science, with a 
 lot of other children, but the fact will ever remain 
 that all these are but borrowed phases of Spiritualism, 
 and that sonner or later the loan will have to be can- 
 celled, and that, too, to the powers that hold the note ; 
 and that power will be found to be none other than 
 Spiritualism,' He looked at Clara to see how she 
 took it. Her face crimsoned, and her voice trembled 
 with supressed emotion. 
 
 "How abusive ! Poor Mrs. Eddy," she said. "Let 
 them say what they will, had it not been for this 
 woman's spiritual illumination and her courage to give 
 it to an unbelieving world we would be in darkness 
 today. Truth has come to the world through Mrs. 
 Eddy, and others try to claim the honor." 
 
 "I notice, Clara, every time I speak of there being 
 any resemblance between Christian Science and Spirit- 
 ualism, it seems to nettle you. Our churches differ 
 somewhat, that is true, and if it will please you better 
 to hear of their differences, I will talk on that line. 
 Clara, I can love the fundamental doctrines of your 
 church for the reason, pardon me for saying it, they 
 are so much like ours. But I am sure I could not 
 
122 TIMELY AID 
 
 easily or even conscientiously fall in love with, 
 or subscribe to many of your by-laws. Why do 
 your members refuse to read our books and period- 
 icals, or anything going by the name of "Mental 
 Science/' "Divine Science/' "New Thought/' etc? 
 "A Spiritualist will read any doctrine. "It is one of 
 our by-laws that no member of the Mother Church 
 shall study mesmerism" said Clara. We have some- 
 thing higher and farther advanced and have no desire 
 to go back into the old thought. Scientists do not care 
 to study and circulate these things, simply because 
 they have gotten above them. An advanced pupil has 
 no desire to go back into the primary department." 
 "You think then/' replied Edward, "that to be broad- 
 minded would cause confusion of thought? Is this bou- 
 quet any the less attractive because it consists of a vari- 
 ety of flowers, sweet-peas, nasturtiums and pinks? Is 
 the treble of a song, marred by having the lower mel- 
 odies join in? And so I say that a church, by looking 
 for and accepting the good in all may add to its har- 
 mony rather than destroy it. Taking you at your own 
 word, I see that, like other loyal Scientists you are of 
 the opinion that what Mary Baker G. Eddy can't teach 
 you is not worth knowing. Now you may give me Mrs. 
 Eddy, if you like for one meal a day ; but I cannot take 
 her for breakfast, dinner and supper. I would not if I 
 could, and could not if I would take away from her, her 
 just deserts ; but if I may be allowed to criticise, I 
 should say her church looks up to her too highly, even 
 to the point of worship. They use her name too fre- 
 quently, and I would like to see her followers a little 
 more moderate, that is all. Christian Scientists, by 
 their sectarianism, are injuring themselves and their 
 cause more than they know. Now I would like to 
 question the why and wherefore of some of the by- 
 laws I find in your manual : — "Members of the Church 
 
TIMELY AID 123 
 
 of Christ Scientists, shall not belong to any secret 
 societies or clubs, where either sex is excluded, except 
 the Free Masons/' "Why do they make an exception of 
 the Masonic order, the father of all lodges ?" "That is 
 not for us to question ; undoubtedly Mrs. Eddy knows 
 best/' replied Clara. "O, I didn't know ! I have heard 
 blood-curling yarns about the dangers one may 
 incur if he does ought to offend the Masons. I thought 
 perhaps the Scientists felt as I do when I meet a 
 ferocious dog; I pat him on the head and say, "good- 
 fellow/' "Why this law : 'Christian Science shall not 
 be taught to a Catholic without the consent of his 
 priest?' It seems to me that if it's right to proselyte 
 among Methodists, Baptists and other people, no ex- 
 ceptions should be made. Do they fear Roman Cath- 
 olicism?" 
 
 "We are given this by-law and no doubt Mrs. Eddy 
 had some good reason for making it." 
 
 "Let me speak of one other. They must refuse ad- 
 mittance to the Sunday School service all except the 
 officers, teachers and children under the age of fifteen, 
 None first admitted above the age of twelve. Why 
 have you such a by-law as this?" 
 
 "Mrs. Eddy stands upon a higher pinnacle than do 
 any of us, and we are willing to follow her instruc- 
 tions and trust to her safe guidance ; she knows better 
 than any one else what is good for the cause." 
 
 "Just the answer I expected and a very satisfactory 
 one indeed," said Mr. Bell. "Of course this is none 
 of my business and it is not for me to dictate what 
 others should or should not do, but I certainly would 
 protest, were I one of them, against some things in 
 Christian Science. I say let each and every man think 
 for himself and when it comes to separating the chaff 
 from the wheat do his own work. As it looks to me 
 your Leader has alwavs been able to enclose her fol- 
 
124 TIMELY AID 
 
 lowers behind a barbed wire fence, tie them like calves 
 to a stake, and say, "Thus far and no farther — Here in 
 my books is all the food you need or should have/ 
 
 "Mr. Bell, we are furnished with all the food we 
 need and such as satisfies and he who refrains from 
 partaking of both good and evil stands in no danger of 
 being poisoned/' 
 
 "Now, Clara we will go back to that Sunday School 
 by-law. The gospel of Jesus was for all nations, rich 
 and poor, white and black, young and old, and none 
 other satisfies me. Now if what is taught in their 
 schools is good for a child to learn, it must also be 
 good for those farther advanced in years, and if erron- 
 eous teaching is creeping into the Sunday Schools, then 
 be careful of the children ; for it is the mind of the 
 little one that grasps most quickly and longest retains. 
 Looking at this matter candidly, what could have 
 prompted the passing of such a by-law ? I fancy I am 
 able to read between the lines and discover the one 
 word, avarice. I may err in judgment, but was not 
 this Sunday School law passed to promote Class in- 
 struction? Considering that your Leader plainly tells 
 you in your text book : — 'Never record ages/ the pass- 
 ing of such a By-law appears to me inconsistent. That 
 tight-fisted copy-right is another thing I do not like 
 about Christian Science. What attraction have green 
 fields, luscious fruits and fragrant, beautiful flowers, all 
 fenced in and signs up, 'Personal Property/ 'Keep ofif 
 the Grass/ 'No Trespassing,?' "Science and Health" 
 may be an extraordinary work, a most helpful book for 
 a person to own and have. Its author may excel all 
 others, past, present and future, she may even be, 
 what I believe she claims, that woman prophesied in 
 Scripture as hiding leaven [Truth] in three measures 
 of meal [Three modes of moral thought, science, the- 
 ology, and medicine], until the whole was leavened 
 
TIMELY AID 125 
 
 [made light.] But admitting all this, see how far, how 
 very far your people go. Let me quote the exact words 
 of one of your Christian Science lecturers, we have 
 them in a "Sentinel" you loaned us : 'We confine our- 
 selves to the Bible, to the works of our beloved Leader, 
 and to the authorized literature of our dear church. 
 Have we time for aught else? Is there, really, aught 
 else? These are the words of Sue Mims. So you see 
 .according to your denominational paper, and author- 
 ized lecturer, Christian Science would push into the 
 "background, out of sight, out of hearing, all good from 
 any other source, having no time for it. Now, Clara, 
 if that is not narrow r sectarianism of the deepest dye, 
 please name it?" Clara thought it time for the dis- 
 cussion to end and saying, "Let us agree to disagree," 
 she sought the quiet and privacy of her room, where 
 she earnestly declared against all the errors connected 
 with Spiritualism. She felt the necessity of being pro- 
 tected from the surrounding evil in her otherwise 
 pleasant, new home. As she was leaving the room, with 
 her dignified, self-assured air, Edward Bell pro- 
 nounced hers a hopeless case and believed he might as 
 well give up any further attempts at her conversion. 
 But wait, perhaps Mrs. Bell will yet be able to show 
 the girl that there are worse things in this world than 
 Spiritualism, even though Mrs. Eddy does say in 
 Miscellaneous Writings, 'Spiritualism and Mesmerism 
 are wholly apart from Christian Science/ " 
 
126 TIMELY AID 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 The Likeness between Christian Science and 
 Spiritualism. 
 
 CLARA had won the name of Miss Persistent; so 
 obstinate was she that it was not often anyone 
 attempted to talk to her on religious matters. 
 Polly was her tormentor ; everytime she came 
 within sight of the bird's cage, she would cry out, "Mrs. 
 Eddy says." One day the girl freely spoke her mind to 
 Edward Bell: "Sir, I do not think you have done any- 
 thing to be proud of ; is it not enough that pulpit and 
 press should slander Mrs. Eddy? that her son should 
 sue for what he does not deserve? that persecution 
 should be heaped upon her from every hand? that 
 heretics should rise up in her church and follow after 
 other teachings, but you must needs teach a bird to 
 speak disrespectfully and irreverently of a dear old lady 
 past eighty-six years of age? Mrs. Eddy has done more 
 for humanity than any other man or woman, and who 
 has ever been so persecuted? Edward turned to his 
 parrot and demanded : "I want you to tell me all the 
 mean things vou have ever said about Mrs. Eddy." 
 And the bird 'replied : "Mrs. Eddy, Mrs. Eddy, Mrs. 
 Eddy, says." "Upon my word and honor, Clara, I 
 have never taught her to say one thing." 
 
 It was a beautiful afternoon in summer, Mrs. Bell 
 and Clara were seated beneath the grape-arbor and 
 little Hazel was trying to catch the pretty birds flying 
 among the branches. Clara had been studying her 
 daily companion, "Science and Health'' when observ- 
 
TIMELY AID 127 
 
 ing Mrs. Bell in a dreamy, listless mood she embraced 
 the opportunity and handed her a Christian Science 
 "Sentinel." After a time Mrs. Bell broke the stillness 
 by saying: "I find some very truthful and good read- 
 ing in this paper ; but here is one statement with which 
 I cannot agree : 'No one on earth today, aside from 
 Mrs. Eddy knows anything about Christian Science 
 except as he has learned it from her or from her writ- 
 ings and Christian Scientists are honest only as they 
 give her full credit for this extraordinary work/ Now, 
 Clara, dear, I have analyzed this and it seems to me 
 that this little word "full" is a very big word after all. 
 Would it not be better to say give her much credit, in 
 place of full credit? While Christian Science is an 
 advanced teaching, while as our pastor Mr. Austin 
 says : 'There is a wonderful unlocking of human 
 energies in the optimistic ideas taught by Christian 
 Science, New Thought, Metaphysical Healing and 
 the Spiritual Philosophy. Through them a wave of 
 religious activity is now passing over the world, ana- 
 logous in some respect to the spread of early Chris- 
 tianity. There is a common feature about them all — 
 their suppression of the "fear-thought." The Mind 
 Cure movement is essentially a religious movement, 
 and no unprejudiced observer can fail to recognize its 
 importance.' While I'll willingly admit all this and 
 much more for Christian Science, still I feel called up- 
 on to say there are a few things taught there that I do 
 disapprove, such as the proclaiming of what I have 
 actually seen in your papers. 'We know that in Chris- 
 tian Science we have the truth, the whole truth and 
 nothing but the truth/ That is too broad a statement, 
 one that will clog the gospel wheels and leave them 
 standing in the narrow rut of sectarianism. My hus- 
 band tells me that I make narrow sectarianism my 
 hobby, that I am always and forever preaching against 
 
128- TIMELY AID 
 
 it, but I can't help it. I wish creedism to keep entirely 
 out of my life; I would not have it keep me from 
 recognizing and accepting the good Christian Scien- 
 tists may have to offer or the good in any sect. And 
 I think it would hinder my progress should I say, 'My 
 church is in possession of the whole truth/ Yes, my 
 dear, there are one or two things in your church that 
 I cannot pronounce good, When it comes to adoring 
 Mrs. Eddy, as many of them very evidently do, I am 
 not with them. Let them give this good and remark- 
 able woman her due amount of love, gratitude and 
 respect. Her people should love her to a certain ex- 
 tent, not forgetting the Apostle's advice : 'Let your 
 moderation be known unto all men/ Clara, one should 
 never throw himself unquestioningly and unreservedly 
 into any leaders hands. Christian Scientists do not 
 hesitate to speak of their Text-book as 'our all-suffi- 
 cient guide.' I have seen it in print more than once. 
 I have in my home a Christian Science "Sentinel" in 
 which Mrs. Eddy is referred to as ' Our wise and un- 
 erring Leader' ; wise she may be and we hope she is 
 both wise and good. Who but the all-wise could be 
 an 'all-sufficient guide?' I would not dare make so 
 broad a statement, as to speak of anyone as being un- 
 erring. When I find a book saying in its Introductory, 
 'In no sense should this book be regarded as exhaust- 
 ive,' I expect to find more in said book than in the 
 one claiming to be the sum-total of all knowledge and 
 wisdom. Excelsior must ever be my motto. We read 
 that concerning the things of God even the angels in 
 Heaven desire to look into them. I have not yet found 
 the book or books written by man or woman that I 
 would dare say contained the whole truth. Mrs. Eddy 
 has improved, enlarged and gone far beyond old theo- 
 logy in many things. Christian Scientists heal the sick, 
 that no enlightened person will dispute. But it seems to 
 
B. F. AUSTIN, B. A., D. D. 
 
PLYMOUTH SPIRITUALIST CHURCH 
 ROCHESTER, N. Y. 
 
TIMELY AID 129 
 
 me that often while they are healing the patient physic- 
 ally, they are unconsciously afflicting with a still worse 
 disease, and a lingering one, which for the want of a 
 better name we will call churchianity. It is as plain 
 as anything can be that the Christian Scientists are not 
 willing to grant the Spiritualists, Mental Scientists, 
 etc, a square deal and a fair hearing. They should, for 
 the day of the bigot has passed. I suppose w 7 e Spirit- 
 ualists are so bad and our teaching so entirely wrong 
 that they fear being contaminated if they come in con- 
 tact with us. Ebenezer .Wilson, the "Seer," became a 
 Spiritualist in the year 1853. In his book "The Truths 
 of Spiritualism" he says, 'We hold that there is no per- 
 sonal devil, no local Hell, or Heaven, but that the 
 Star of Progression hovers over the future world as 
 well as this.' Was this erroneous? Then it was 
 equally erroneous for Mrs. Eddy to insert in the book 
 "Science and Health," copyrighted in the year 1875 : 
 'Mortals need not fancy that belief in the experience 
 of death will awaken them to glorified being. Univer- 
 sal salavation rests on progression and probation, and 
 is unattainable without them.' 
 
 Beals Litchfield accepted of Spiritualism in the year 
 1852. In his book "Forty Years Intercourse w T ith the 
 Spirit World," he says : 'Our spirit friends tell us that 
 passing through death does not change the mind, that 
 the mind starts in spirit life just as it was when it 
 left the earth form, and unfolds through the same 
 process of growth that it did in earth life. Was this 
 erroneous? Then it was equally erroneous for 
 Mrs. Eddy to place in "Science and Health": — Tn 
 the place where the tree falleth there it shall be ;' so we 
 read in Ecclesiastes : 'As . man falleth asleep so shall 
 he awake, as death findeth mortal man, so shall he be 
 after death, until probation and growth shall effect the 
 needful changes.' So you see, Clara, we teach very 
 
130 TIMELY AID 
 
 much the same on the doctrine of universal progression. 
 Was it wrong for this old-time Spiritualist, Mr. Wil- 
 son, to say: 'We take no stock whatever in the muti- 
 lated body of Jesus or in his wasted blood, but do in his 
 philosophy and his great humanity? We love him as 
 our elder brother. We do not worship him as a God. 
 There was no more saving power in Jesus' blood, than 
 there was in that of Judas/ Then it was equally 
 wrong for Mrs. Eddy, a few years later, to say 'The 
 material blood of Jesus was no more efficacious to 
 cleanse from sin when it was shed upon the accursed 
 tree, than when it was flowing in his veins as he went 
 daily about his Father's business/ 
 
 "Beals Litchfield says :-T cannot find language strong 
 enough to express my abhorrence of that heathen doc- 
 trine of the forgiveness of sin through the atoning 
 blood of Jesus. The doctrines of blood atonement 
 originated among the ancient heathen nations ; it has 
 been handed down as truth, though nature and reason 
 proclaim its falsity. Yes, the fact remains, man must 
 work out his own salvation/ Was this erroneous 
 teaching? Then it was equally wrong for Mrs.. Eddy 
 to follow him with this teaching :-Tf truth is over- 
 coming error in our daily walk, this is having our part 
 in the at-one-ment. Jesus did life's work aright, not 
 only in justice to himself, but in mercy to mortals, 
 to show them how to do theirs, but not to do it for 
 them or relieve them of a single responsibility/ So 
 you see, Clara, we are also agreed on the atonement 
 question. On the subject of man's inherent divinity 
 and perfection how do we stand? Turning to my old 
 book "Dealings with the Dead," penned by Paschal 
 Randolph, we find:-'God who made us well knows 
 that there is more of good than evil in our hearts, by 
 virtue of our ancestry — Nature and Himself.' Again 
 he says : — 'Be it remembered that beautv and sym- 
 
TIMELY AID . 131 
 
 metry is natural to trees, even though storms, snow 
 and fierce winds dismember and render them hideous ; 
 so also goodness and virtue is natural to the human 
 soul while vice and deformity are artificial and con- 
 ditional acquisitions.' And again:-' We forget that 
 society gains nothing by making a man think less of 
 himself.' This was penned in 1860. Now turning to 
 your " Science and Health" we read :-'The great truth 
 in the Science of being that the real man was, is, and 
 ever shall be perfect, is incontrovertible ; for if man is 
 the image, the reflection of God, he is upright and God- 
 like.' So you see. Spiritualists and Scientists are a 
 unit in this that neither holds to the belittling thought : 
 T am a poor, unworthy worm of the dust, as prone to 
 sin as the sparks are to fly upward.' We are not 
 braggadocios, simply because we declare, 'Man is 
 perfect even as his Father in Heaven is perfect.' When 
 a person washes dirt from his body he is not doing 
 away with a part of himself, and likewise when we 
 throw ofif sin and its efifects we deal not with any part 
 of our real being, just with the artificial and conditional 
 acquisitions, as this old-time Spiritualist writer puts it. 
 In this again we are a unit, for you do not find either 
 Scientists or Spiritualists forever harping upon the 
 fall of man." 
 
 "Mrs. Bell, there is no religious teaching but what 
 has a little truth woven in among the errors. But, 
 Mrs. Eddy tells us in our text-book 'When the Sci- 
 ence of Mind is understood Spiritualism will be found 
 mainly erroneous." 
 
 "I cannot help what Mrs. Eddy says, I know that 
 for sixty years Spiritualists have held to many, very 
 many of the same thoughts that she expresses. Let 
 me read from 'The Truths of Spiritualism,' a portion 
 of E. V. Wilson's reply to a Presbyterian minister in 
 the year 1870:-'You say there is no uniformity in our 
 
132 TIMELY AID 
 
 creeds — we have none/ I can't now read it all, but 
 among the things that he mentioned on which Spirit- 
 ualists were a unit, I give you these : — 'God is spirit 
 in whom we live, move and have our being. The only 
 true way to worship Him is in spirit and in truth. We 
 hold to one God and no more, infinite in matter and 
 space, seen in the sunshine, felt in the storm and on 
 this side the blue as well as beyond it, — His kingdom 
 is within us. Hence He is ever with us. Your God 
 is a great big man, a creature full of short comings 
 and has to keep a great big burning hell always on 
 hand to make His followers obey Him. Your God 
 declares that He has anger, hate, revenge and scorn. 
 Someties He is mighty, and sometimes He cannot pre- 
 vail. You teach the Heaven and the mercy of God 
 and His power to save — and yet concede the tremen- 
 dous truth that your God is not able to cope with the 
 Devil — and that the Devil gets the great majority of 
 mankind, and God gets but a miserable minority of 
 His own children/ 'And God saw everything that He 
 had made and behold it was very good/ 'His mercy 
 endureth forever/ Our God is love intensified and is 
 always our friend and father. The Orthodox God is 
 love, whose creed is revenge and hate. He gets his 
 Ebenezer up, and burns and blows down temples dedi- 
 cated to his name, knocks his minister's eyes out, kills 
 little babies, and has just lately killed many thousand 
 Americans to get rid of one of his own institutions, 
 human slavery/ Now, my dear Clara, remember Mrs. 
 Eddy did not obtain her copy-right on "Science and 
 Health," until the year 1875. And as she and this 
 man, as well as many other oldtime Spiritualist writers, 
 stand in such close proximity in teaching it seems to 
 me I have a right to take issue against your paper— and 
 declare that one can be honest without giving her full 
 credit for this extraordinary work." "O, Mrs. Bell, 
 
TIMELY AID 133 
 
 if, as you say, you have read our text-book, I do not 
 see how you can pronounce this dear, wonderful 
 woman's teaching a counterfeit. But as Mrs. Eddy 
 says : — Criticisms on her work are usually based on 'de- 
 tached sentences or clauses, separated from their con- 
 text.' You liken her works to this man's, but see how 
 much more genteel and refined she is in manner of 
 expression." 
 
 "Well what of that, if she has expressed practically 
 the same ideas? Mr. Wilson said to the Christians :- 
 'Your God is a great big man/ Mrs. Eddy would ' 
 say :-'You worship an anthropomorphic God.' and she 
 says 'That God is a corporeal being nobody can truly 
 affirm — He is Mind, Spirit, Soul, Truth, Life and 
 Love, and fills all space.' Mr. Wilson says :-'The 
 Spiritualist's God is love intensified — He is our friend 
 and father. Your God is love whose creed is revenge 
 and hate.' Mrs. Eddy says :-'The Jewish tribal Je- 
 hovah was a man projected God, liable to wrath, 
 repentance and human changableness. The Christian 
 Science God is universal, eternal, divine Love, which 
 changeth not and sendeth no evil and no sin upon man/ 
 Turning to Mr. Wilson's book again, he mentions 
 among the lessons that Spiritualism teaches — this :- 
 'There is no forgiveness in this life or the after life, 
 every penalty must be paid, there is no escape. Sins 
 thought and committed bind us in chains, until the 
 law of development and progression unfolds and re- 
 lieves.' Mrs. Eddy says /The supposition that sin is 
 pardoned while unforsaken, that happiness can be gen- 
 uine in the midst of the sin, that the so called death of 
 the body frees from sin, and that God's pardon is 
 aught but the destruction of sin, — these are grave mis- 
 takes/ You see, Clara, Spiritualists and Scientists are 
 worshiping the same, loving, just, incorporeal God. 
 Neither of us deify Jesus nor trust in his cleansing 
 
134 TIMELY AID 
 
 blood, but we accept him as the mediator who voiced 
 truth to that age. You will agree with this Spirit- 
 ualist writer Mr. Wilson, when he says: 'We hold that 
 there is a spirit inspiration in the Bible ; but that it is 
 not plenary inspiration. 7 " 
 
 "Mrs. Bell, I can see and am willing to admit, that 
 there possibly may be a few truths, which these two 
 churches hold in common; but not the things most 
 essential. Those belong to Mrs. Eddy, and to her 
 alone. To her and to her alone are we indebted for 
 the revelation of the all-power of God and the power- 
 lessness of Satan. This ; 'Evil calls itself something 
 when it is nothing/ is the grand truth that came to her. 
 Hear this quotation from Science and Health: There 
 is no power apart from God. Omnipotence is all-power- 
 ful, and to acknowledge any other power is to dis- 
 honor God/ So there is one point on which we differ 
 from you and all other churches. You do recognize a 
 power apart from God." 
 
 "Well Clara, I believe some Spiritualists do, but 
 some do not." 
 
 "Then tell me what your platform is? You cannot 
 know where you stand, one believing one way and 
 another some other." 
 
 "To tell you exactly where we stand and always will 
 stand, I cannot. It is to be hoped we will walk in the 
 light/ There is no unfolding so long as one stands. 
 Truth never changes ; but our conceptions of truth 
 often change. One thing about Spiritualism that ap- 
 peals to me is this, it refrains from impeding its ad- 
 herents with fixed beliefs. In this church we have a 
 right to free-thought; the one thing required is to 
 'grow in grace and in a knowledge of the truth/ If 
 Robert Ingersoll went astray in all else that he pro- 
 claimed, I will agree with this : 'The clergy's pledge of 
 fidelity to the creeds, is in effect an oath: 'So help me 
 
TIMELY AID 135 
 
 God that I will never mentally advance.' In our 
 church we are pledged to no belief or no text-book. 
 And when you say that we do not attribute all power 
 to God, I answer, many of our people do, and I consider 
 them the most advanced. In the year 1860, Paschal 
 Randolph penned in his book "Dealings with the Dead/' 
 this sentence. 'Hell is experience with the unfit, im- 
 proper and Untrue.' Notice the last word 'untrue'. 
 There we have it in a nut shell. Did Jesus have any 
 other definition for the Devil than this : 'He is a liar,' 
 i. e., there is no truth in him. Let me read to you 
 from "Forty Years Intercourse with the Spirit 
 Spheres," by Beals Litchfield, one of Spiritualism's 
 first mediums and lecturers. He relates a debate he 
 held with some well meaning Methodist friends in 
 the year 1872. (Air. Litchfield accepted Spiritualism 
 in 1852) He says:- 'In trying to convert me from the 
 errors of this doctrine, their fiery missiles (Satan and 
 the battlements of Hell) fell harmless at my feet and 
 were picked up without gloves and handled reasonably 
 and logically, and in accordance with their Bible doc- 
 trine until they were cooled, and the brimstone had 
 disappeared. I said 'You believe God to be infinite in 
 power, do you not?" 'Certainly we do.' was their 
 reply. 'Do you believe the Devil has power to thwart 
 the will and designs of God ?' 'Certainly not ; if the 
 Devil had that power God would not be infinite in 
 power.' I referred to the parable of the wheat and 
 tares and asked them who was the enemy that sowed 
 the tares? They replied: 'The Devil.' I told them 
 'It was the Devil of ignorance. Ignorance is the only 
 Devil I know anything about, and all evil deeds are 
 the children of the Devil of ignorance.' Did not Mr. 
 Litchfield give to the prince of evils an appropriate 
 name? Ignorance is the root of superstition, distrust, 
 fear and the whole list. Heaven's children are children 
 
136 TIMELY AID 
 
 of wisdom. Every man must grow out of his ignor- 
 ance. Only a knowledge of the truth can ever lift us 
 above false claims and illusions. Listen to the words 
 of our pastor, Mr. Austin: — 'Man needs deliver- 
 ance from ignorance. This is his greatest foe, man's 
 real devil. The old devil of orthodoxy is fiction, a 
 tale of humanity's childhood. It is to be reckoned 
 with the story of Blue Beard and Santa Claus, and 
 other fictions. But the devil of ignorance is a real 
 devil to be fought. Ignorance enslaves the mind, be- 
 gets superstition, makes men cower before kings, and 
 racks the soul with fear. ' Truth, emancipates, inspires, 
 encourages.' There are many Spiritualists who will 
 agree with Mrs. Eddy more or less even when it comes 
 to her definition of evil. Yes, Clara,I know that when 
 it comes to the allness of good and the nothingness 
 of evil, Christian Scientists never fail to claim that 
 as Mrs. Eddy's own discovery and are very con- 
 servative. Nevertheless it is an old truth in Spiritual- 
 ism, and my assertion can be based on facts and data 
 accessible to all. Never have Spiritualists believed in 
 a personal devil. Rev. S. Weil, pastor of the Spirit- 
 ualist Church in Bradford, Pa., says in his book "The 
 Religion of the Future," 'Evil is not an entity, is not 
 something positive and enduring ; but is destined to 
 be utterly expunged.' That great medium, healer and 
 lecturer, Cora L. V. Richmond, pastor of the "Church 
 of the Soul," in Chicago, says : — 'Evil did not originate. 
 The necessity of naming the night darkness and the 
 day light is a necessity that is relative and does not 
 pertain to the absolute state. We are perfectly well 
 aware that there is no absolute darkness : Evil is the 
 absence of manifest good ; the negative, the night.' 
 And I might go on quoting almost indefinitely, show- 
 ing that Spiritualism teaches that Spirit, not matter, 
 is a priori reality, that evil is not entity, etc. Yet 
 
TIMELY AID 137 
 
 Scientists proclaim :-Tf we would be honest w r e must 
 give Mrs. Eddy, full credit for all we know/ But, 
 Clara, would still have it that Mrs. Eddy was entirely 
 original, at least in one thing presented, and she met 
 Mrs. Bell with the positive assurance that where this 
 greatest of religious reformers came saying :-'Man is 
 spiritual and not material.' she was presenting a dis- 
 covery all her own. Mrs. Bell replied, "I can even 
 take you upon your leading factor, namely 'All is Mind 
 and Matter is naught.' According to this Paschal 
 Randolph, whose book, "Dealings with the Dead," 
 Alexander Brady copyrighted in the year 1861., matter 
 is nothing, per se spirit is a priori reality, and organ- 
 ism finds its definition in spirit. He declared that every 
 existence was an out-sphering or an out-creation of 
 mind. Spiritualism ever has taught and undoubtedly 
 ever will teach the potent power of mind. It assures 
 us, not that we are bodiless, but that these earthly 
 tenements and the world in which we dwell are tribu- 
 tary to mind, or plainly speaking, thought-bodies. 
 My dictionary defines Spiritualsm in part as follows :.- 
 'That belief or doctrine, according to which all that is 
 real is spirit, soul or mind/ Our church declares in 
 effect :- 'There is nothing on earth great but man, and 
 in man, there is nothing great but mind/ In Paschal 
 Randolph's book, written when Spiritualism was in its 
 infancy, and before Christian Science had had its birth, 
 I find this definition of man. It is terse, but I believe 
 true :- 'All there is of man is his thought-power, the 
 think is himself/ Let us select quotations from the 
 two authors Paschal Randolph, and Mary Eddy, con- 
 fining ourselves to the subject of mind over matter. 
 How very similar are their definitions of Heaven. He 
 says, T discovered that "up" was a condition of soul 
 and spirit, and that to both time and space do not exist. 
 She says, fourteen years later:- 'Heaven is not a local- 
 
138 TIMELY AID 
 
 ity, but a divine state of mind, in which all the mani- 
 festations of mind are harmonious and immortal/ 
 There seems to be no end of the resemblance in their 
 teachings though not exactly alike. He says :- 'What 
 constitutes the ego ? What is the man ? The answer is, 
 soul is a thing sui generis and unique/ She says: 
 'What is the Ego, whence its origin? The ego man is 
 the reflection of the Ego ,God, the image and likeness 
 of perfect mind, spirit, soul, principle/ He says :- 
 'Soul, the thinking principle, is larger, deeper, greater 
 than this whole material globe/ She says:- 'Soul is 
 spirit and spirit is greater than body; if spirit, mind, 
 were within the body it would be smaller/ He says :- 
 'All there is of man is mind, all there is of Deity is the 
 same/ She says :- 'God is mind and God is all, hence 
 all is mind/ He says :-'Whoever looks for a man must 
 go below and above skin, flesh, muscles and bones to 
 find him/ She says :- 'Man is not matter, made up of 
 brains, blood, bones and other material elements/ 
 
 He says :-'Thou and thy kind are active, self-moving 
 thoughts of one great, eternal Thinker/ She says : 
 'Man is the compound idea of infinite spirit, the spirit- 
 ual image and likeness of God, the full representation 
 of mind/ He says :- T think that nature is a system of 
 active forces, even radiating from God, as beams from 
 a star/ She says :- 'Man reflects and expresses the 
 divine substance, or mind; but, God, is not in His 
 reflection any more than the sun is in the ray of light 
 which goes out from it/ He says :-T discovered that 
 thoughts were living things endowed with a being in 
 themselves/ She says :-'Metaphysics resolves things 
 into thoughts, and exchanges the objects of sense for 
 the ideas of soul/ 
 
 He says :- 'The terrestrial world itself, is really 
 spiritual, could mankind but perceive it/ She says :- 
 'The spirituality of the universe, including man is the 
 
TIMELY AID 139 
 
 only fact of creation.' He says :- 'Spirit is not matter/ 
 She says :-'Spirit is not physical/ Clara began to fear 
 that, Mrs. Bell would never cease showing up the like- 
 ness in this respect so she thought she would play an- 
 other card. She now told her friend that it did'nt mat- 
 ter much about the rest, Mrs. Eddy had re-discovered 
 the Christ method of healing. But, Mrs. Bell, reminded 
 her that they had discussed this subject quite thorough- 
 ly, not many days before. Clara, did not express it in 
 words, but she put Mrs. Bell down as being a very 
 stubborn and unreasonable person and one that would 
 be hard to convert. They had been forgetful of the 
 little child in charge, and now suddenly discovered 
 that she had gone away. So the conversation was 
 brought to an end, and a search in every direction was 
 commenced. Hazel was found and kisses followed. 
 Apparently there are times when evil works for good. 
 If the child had not been lost who knows but that they 
 might have been arguing yet? 
 
140 TIMELY AID 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 The Conversion. 
 
 rrMTAT evening, following Mrs. Bell's plain talk 
 
 with Clara, after Hazel had been cozily tucked 
 
 J[ in bed and her tongue had ceased its prattle, 
 
 Clara, as was her custom, went out and seated 
 
 herself in the hammock, under the trees, there to enjoy 
 
 the cool air and beauty of the summer eve. 
 
 For some reason she did not find it easy longer to 
 oppose Spiritualism and denounce it all as mortal mind 
 error. Could it be she was "almost persuaded?" 
 
 In spite of herself these thoughts would come up : 
 There are so many truths we hold in common, and 
 Spiritualism is the forerunner of Christian Science, 
 and Mr. Bell's people are so intelligent and. good. 
 
 While thus meditating she heard footsteps, and look- 
 ing up she recognized in the dim light Hazel's papa. 
 
 He inquired if he were intruding, and asked per- 
 mission to sit by her. No objections being made to 
 his company he remained. , He placed in her lap "Mis- 
 cellaneous Writings," by Mrs. Eddy, saying as he did 
 so, "My experience may dififer from that of others, but 
 for me these works do not contain the milk of the 
 word, but rather the meat. I dug deep and believe I 
 have discovered much of value. I pronounce her books 
 good, but I find them, in the main, weighty as Greek, 
 filled with wordy-words and disconnected subjects. 
 Even at the Church the truth seemed hidden. There 
 was no sermon, only a read service from the Text-Book. 
 But though it may be difficult to grasp the understand- 
 ing, nevertheless Christian Science has found its way 
 into thousands of homes ; satisfied many a questioning 
 
TIMELY AID 141 
 
 mind, hungering heart and suffering body. Clara, I ask 
 your pardon for the many unkind things I have said 
 of your church in the past and now would make 
 amends by pronouncing it — the most of it — a pregnant 
 truth, an admirable teaching. Today I see Christian 
 Science as one of the most beautiful and satisfying 
 religions extant." 
 
 Clara had longed for such a confession and now 
 that he really was acceping the Truth, it seemed almost 
 too good to be true. But as he proceeded her hopes 
 fell. 
 
 "I never can pronounce myself a [Methodist again," 
 said he. "Now while I like much that is in your 
 religion, Clara, Spiritualism, which is very much the 
 same thing, appeals to me still more, and I confess 
 that if I am not already a Spiritualist the indications 
 are I very soon will be. Please read some of these 
 books and papers I have brought you and see if you 
 cannot find a close resemblance to your teachings.'' 
 
 Clara accepted the loan, thinking "No one need know 
 I am reading it. I have kept my ears and eyes closed 
 so far, and I am not yet a member of the Mother 
 Church at Boston, and hence under no restrictions. " 
 [Mr. Bell continued — "Yes, I find much in Spiritualism 
 to admire, and I am beginning to have great confidence 
 therein. My faith has been strengthened very much 
 during the past week, and I do not believe I shall have 
 much trouble in convincing you that there is something 
 in it. 
 
 There has been a wonderful medium in this city, 
 [Mrs. Tillie Reynolds, the Xew York State [Missionary. 
 I was advised to go to her for a reading and I did so — 
 A happy day for me — the day I saw Mrs. Reynolds." 
 
 "O, horrors ;" thought Clara. "Visiting mediums ! 
 What would not this good but deluded man confess 
 to next? Surely he needed protection." 
 
142 TIMELY AID 
 
 "Well," he continued, "I did not receive a message 
 from my wife, or from anyone I had ever known in 
 earth life. This woman told me she saw by my side a 
 man, who said he wished, through her, to thank me 
 for my kindness to and interest in his daughter 
 knowing that his dear child would be to me a good 
 and affectionate wife, and that with her my remaining 
 years would be less lonely, he wished to encourage the 
 union. Clara, are you willing?" 
 
 "O, what was he saying?" Clara asked herself. He 
 would marry again. She suddenly felt weak and faint. 
 Mr. Bell was about to marry and perhaps her little 
 Hazel, her all, would be taken from her. She thought 
 he must have reference to that beautiful friend of Mrs. 
 Bell's who was spending so many hours there discus- 
 sing and explaining Spiritualism to the minister. 
 
 Surely Spiritualism is the root of all evil ! Her 
 companion's voice sounded far away and she could just 
 faintly hear him repeating, "Clara, tell me, are you 
 willing ?" 
 
 Why was he asking her consent? If he wished to 
 enter again into the bonds of matrimony, of course it 
 was his privilege to do as he liked. 
 
 But he had asked if she were willing and politeness 
 called for an answer. Why was her voice so unsteady 
 as she replied, "Yes, but I shall hate to part with 
 baby," and still more falteringly, "and with you." 
 
 Then trying to force a tone of interest in her voice : 
 "Who, may I ask, is to be your future wife? Have 
 I ever met her?" 
 
 4 'God bles<= you, child ! Haven't you understood me? 
 Who in this world could I want but you? O, Clara 
 dear, it's your heart and hand I am seeking. I love no 
 one else." 
 
 The next she knew she was weeping ; whether tears 
 were of joy or sorrow she could not tell, and the 
 
TIMELY AID 143 
 
 minister held her in fond embrace with her head rest- 
 ing upon his shoulder. 
 
 He told her that while she could not fill the vacancy 
 in his heart, could not take the place of dear Alice, yet 
 she would always have her own place in his affections. 
 And he knew that it would not be her desire, even, 
 if such a thing were possible, that he should forget his 
 angel wife. "But," he continued, "why do you still 
 keep silent? Why do you keep me in suspense so 
 long? Can't you return my ardent affection, or love 
 me at least just a little? Will you, can you not promise 
 to become my wife ?" 
 
 At last she replied : "I think a great deal of you, 
 and let me assure you I appreciate your offer ; but 
 please do not repeat it, for Mr. Bell, I do not see how 
 our marriage could be harmonious. You are a Spir- 
 itualist and I am a Christian Sciensist. No, my dear, 
 kind friend, I fear this union can never be." 
 
 "So my admiration for Spiritualism would cause 
 this rejection?" said he. "Clara, I could love and wed 
 you even if you were a heathen. When will the time 
 come that Christians shall cease to manifest this an- 
 tagonistic spirit? When they shall say as they did in 
 the days of the Apostles : 'We are all one in Christ 
 Jesus/ A few take that stand now, and as we grow in 
 grace we will be like the early disciples:' 'Standing 
 fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for 
 the faith of the gospel/ And, Clara, please don't re- 
 ject me. I love you. As for religion, you can go your 
 way. I will go mine. I can not accept this excuse. 
 But tell me, have you any other?" 
 
 "Air. Bell, only one. I cannot forget our different 
 stations in life." 
 
 "I, too, think of that," said he. "Little girl, while 
 you are rich, I am comparatively poor." 
 
 What could Mr. Bell mean bv such unreasonable 
 
144 TIMELY AID 
 
 talk? It must be Spiritualism was turning his head. 
 She had been told that it was an error causing much 
 insanity. But her persevering lover soon made this 
 clear to her. 
 
 "Clara, it was your father that conversed with me 
 through that clairvoyant. No, Clara, not that incred- 
 ulous shake of the head. Let me prove my claim. In 
 ancient times Moses saw an angel in the bush. This 
 was his angel visitant's message: T have heard their 
 groanings and I have come down to deliver them. 
 God's laws are immutable, and if comforters ever were 
 sent from above to mortals they can be sent again. 
 Your father, who is not in reality dead, naturally 
 would be watching over you. If the kingdom of God 
 is at hand, as the Scriptures declare, then our de- 
 ceased friends cannot be far away. Yes, I believe he 
 has been watching and waiting for a chance whereby 
 communication would be made possible and he could 
 make his presence known to his children. Through 
 this medium your long lost brother was located. I 
 was assured that if I would write to a certain address 
 in Detroit there we would find him. I have not been 
 hasty in coming to you with this. I waited. I had 
 sufficient confidence in the communication to investi- 
 gate. And to-night, sweet Clara, I hold a letter in my 
 pocket actually coming from your lost relative. In 
 this letter he informs me that he has long wished he 
 might find his sister, and that his foster parents ad- 
 vertised through the press to find you. It was an- 
 swered by a New York lawyer who held in trust 
 property to the amount of several thousand dollars, 
 willed to you by your mother's father. Your brother 
 has his share and is anxiously looking forward to a 
 meeting with you." 
 
 They then went into the house and together they 
 read the letter. 
 
TIMELY AID 145 
 
 Overjoyed, the orphan girl kissed her brother's 
 hand writing, saying : "Ever since I came into Chris- 
 tian Science I have tried to realize that there is no 
 separation, nothing lost in God's kingdom, and now I 
 shall soon see my brother." 
 
 - "Yes, and Clara, I would call this a proof that God 
 does employ more than one agent to voice His truth. 
 Xo one leader, no one church has a corner on the 
 good, the beautiful and the true. Christian Science 
 might have worked out your problem alone, as to that 
 I cannot say. But I do think that the Scientists hold 
 a wrong belief when they affirm : 'Christian Science 
 and Spiritualism can no more mix than oil and water/ ' 
 
 The next morning, while the family were alone in 
 the dining room, John Bell proudly announced the 
 engagement, saying : "Our little girl here is no longer 
 to act as Hazel's nurse, she takes the more responsible 
 position, that of the child's second mother." 
 
 "O," exclaimed his sister-in-law, "this is so very 
 sudden ! But you both have my congratulations." 
 
 "That's the woman of it," said her husband. "I had 
 courted Anna for five years, never looking at any other 
 girl, supposing of course, she must know that I was 
 most desperately in love, but when at last I rose above 
 my timidity and mustered courage to propose, her re- 
 ply was, 'O, Edward, this is so sudden.' But children, 
 your confession is no surprise to me. Anyone with 
 eyes in his head could have seen that you were both 
 in love." 
 
 "Anybody' d know you was in love," echoed Polly. 
 
 "Well," continued Edward, "I will give my consent 
 under one condition. That you are married at my 
 house and by the Spiritualist minister." 
 
 "My consent, my consent," again echoed the saucv 
 Polly/ 
 
146 TIMELY AID 
 
 "Well, I think we can agree to my brother's terms, 
 can't we Clara?" 
 
 "When Spiritualism has done so much for a person 
 it would be the height of ingratitude to refuse that 
 much/' she replied. 
 
 "Good girl !" said a voice from the cage in the cor- 
 ner. 
 
 "Polly," said her mistress, "will you please be 
 quiet." 
 
 "Can't keep still," the bird responded. 
 
 "Yes, you can, too." 
 
 "Not only am I perfectly willing to be married by a 
 Spiritualist minister," continued Clara, "I feel now as 
 though I would like to join heart and hand with a 
 Spiritualist minister." 
 
 "Hallelujah!" and up to the ceiling went Uncle 
 Ed's teaspoon. "So we're all Spiritualists at last! 
 Well that's the only thing to be and this is just what I 
 have long been looking for." 
 
 Hazel, seated upon her uncle's lap, looked inquir- 
 ingly up into his face and asked. "Is me one too?" 
 
 "Well, yes, I guess you are, dear, do you want to 
 be one?" 
 
 "Yes, me like to be one." 
 
 Polly, just as though she had understood holloawing 
 out the oft spoken name : "Doctor Peebles, Doctor 
 Peebles." 
 
 "Polly," commanded her mistress, "did you not hear 
 what I said, be quiet." 
 
 "Polly can't keep still, can't keep still." 
 
 "That girl has the zeal and shout of a Methodist, 
 if only she had been brought up that way," was the 
 proud and laughing comment of her master. Polly 
 took offence in an instant. Dancing about her cage 
 with feathers straight out, she shrilly shrieked : "Shut 
 up, you old fool." 
 
TIMELY AID 147 
 
 'Tolly you act to me like a Methodist/' continued 
 her tormenting master. "Don't you like the Metho- 
 dists, Polly?" 
 
 "No use for Methodists, shut up. Fool. Fool!" 
 
 "O, Edward Bell, you ought to be ashamed," said 
 his wife. "Just see what wicked nonsense you have 
 taught that poor, innocent bird." 
 
 "Shame on you. Shame on you," repeated the 
 parrot. 
 
 They were leaving the breakfast room and she 
 called after them : "Mamma, come back. I'll be good, 
 I'll be good." 
 
 But they w r ent away and were soon discussing plans 
 for the future. The world looked very bright before 
 them just then. 
 
148 TI M ELY AID 
 
 CHAPTER XXL 
 
 Opposition as a Flint. 
 
 fHT^HERE is an old saying "The course of true love 
 
 | never runs smooth/' but this seemed to be an 
 J^ exceptional case. 
 
 There was no one who opposed this union and 
 as far as their love affairs were concerned everything 
 went smoothly. Our young friends were quite as ar- 
 dent in their love making as most others when court- 
 ing, yet they found a little time left for religion. 
 
 The Rev. John Bell soon notified the Conference of 
 his newly accepted views. 
 
 He was not granted a kind letter of dismissal, but 
 was straightway accounted a heretic and his name was 
 dropped as unworthy a place on the roll. 
 
 Many an uncalled-for austere assertion fell from the 
 ministerial lips, but the denounced clergyman intro- 
 spected himself as a Methodist and realized that he 
 was only being paid back in his own coin. The truth 
 of this saying came forcibly upon him: "As ye sow 
 so shall ye also reap." 
 
 Said he to himself : "I, like the Apostle Paul, am ac- 
 cepting the religion that I once dispised. Once I was 
 its unkind, unjust foe; to-day I would proclaim this 
 religion of the angels upon the house tops." However, 
 the attitude of his former brethren touched his keen 
 sensibility and it was well that Clara was there to 
 cheer and comfort him. 
 
 Opposition confronted her also. Her church had 
 never bridged the Great Divide, had never given her 
 any tests of the supernormal world and now that she 
 felt a longing to be convinced that communication be- 
 
TIMELY AID 149 
 
 tween the excarnate and incarnate world of spirits 
 was possible, she found that she must take a firm stand 
 and not allow the "Church of Christ Scientists" to 
 head off investigation. . Previous to this time, she had 
 always been pointed to as one having "a splendid un- 
 derstanding." Xow they were looking at her with 
 pitying eyes and saying: "She never had a very clear 
 understanding of Science. If she had understood the 
 truth better, these things would have held no attraction 
 for her." 
 
 Well-meaning friends came to labor with her. They 
 begged of her not to give up Mrs. Eddy's teaching, 
 "Truth unmixed with error." They quoted this verse 
 in Ephesians : "Be not tossed to and fro and carried 
 about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of 
 men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait 
 to deceive." 
 
 "Ah, yes," thought she, "the very same Scripture 
 that Orthodoxy quoted to me when I first began to in- 
 vestigate Christian Science, and should the time ever 
 come when a doctrine, under some other name, appeals 
 to me and I turn again to study that which seems to 
 be farther in advance, I'll wager there will be Spirit- 
 ualists coming forward and trying to head me off with 
 this same Scripture, for history repeats itself." 
 
 Her Christian Science friends reminded her that 
 according to Mrs. Eddy's teachings there was but one 
 Spirit, one Soul, even God, hence Spiritualism was in 
 error in teaching there were spirits many. The defini- 
 tions found in Spiritualism seemed plainer and easier 
 to grasp, namely : "I am a soul with a body. I can 
 not predicate ownership of a soul. The soul is I. Each 
 personal spirit lives, moves and has its being in the 
 universal Spirit. Even as the many sun-beams are 
 nothing but emanations from the sun, so the germ- 
 souls are but parts of* the Great Over Soul." When 
 
150 TIMELY AID 
 
 she repeated this to her Christian Science friends, they 
 shook their heads and replied: "Mrs. Eddy says there 
 is but one Spirit, not spirits many. She tells us that no 
 human pen or tongue taught her the Science contained 
 in our Text Book, and no pen or tongue can ever over- 
 throw it. She is, in truth, the first person who ever 
 interpreted the Scriptures in their true sense, and when 
 she says this, she is not claiming too much." 
 
 Clara gently informed them that the beautiful chap- 
 ter Mrs. Eddy had written on prayer was almost, 
 word for word, like the teaching on that subject in a 
 book copyrighted in the year 1840 "Practical Hints 
 to Universalists." By John G. Adams. One would 
 think the same hand had penned them both. And she 
 also informed them that Mrs. Eddy's writings very 
 closely resembled those of the beloved and honored 
 veteran Spiritualist, Andrew Jackson Davis, who copy- 
 righted books in 1850. She was then in conversation 
 with a room full of Christian Scientists. With united 
 voice they denied the charge, disputed her point blank, 
 yet not one among them had ever read a page of any 
 of the books written by Andrew Jackson Davis. 
 
 Clara had not accused Mrs, Eddy of being guilty of 
 plagiarism, only plainly intimated that Mrs. Eddy's 
 teachings, in many respects, closely resembled those of 
 Spiritualism, and in claiming a thing, like this she had 
 committed an unpardonable offence. She meekly took 
 her lecture for her ingratitude and injustice toward the 
 discoverer of Christian Science. 
 
 When it was over, she left the Christian Science 
 reading room, where she had spent many happy and 
 profitable hours, knowing that she would never again 
 be made to feel at home there, or be recognized as one 
 of them, her eyes filled with tears. 
 
 Rev. John Bell was at this time attending the Mich- 
 igan Conference, and was not expected home for sev- 
 
TIMELY AID 151 
 
 eral days, but on her return, there he was with open 
 arms to meet her. She was quick to observe the sad 
 and hurt expression on his face and she inquired if 
 they had treated him very badly. "I had expected 
 opposition," said he, "but I was not looking for them 
 to come down quite so heavily upon me. Every mart 
 of them believes it to be a Christian duty to crush out 
 Spiritualism. They would do well to heed the Bible : 
 'Let lying lips be put to silence which speak grievous 
 things proudly and contemptuously against the right- 
 eous.' " 
 
 "Yes, John, but they have undoubtedly jumped to 
 the erroneous conclusion that among the Spiritualists 
 there is not one righteous, no not one. Few have 
 heeded this wonderful statement given by Gamaliel : 
 Tf this counsel or this work be of men it will come to 
 naught, but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it lest 
 haply ye be found even to fight against God/ Looking 
 the question squarely in the face and answering it 
 candidly, did either of us obey St. Paul's admonition, 
 'Be kindly affectioned one to another,' so long as we 
 remained steeped in our creeds? Volumes might be 
 written on the subject "Christianity versus Churchian- 
 ity.' Christian Science claims to possess no creed, 
 but it certainly has quite a summary of fixed articles 
 of faith, and let a differing thought, be it ever so good, 
 try to gain a hearing, and every loyal Scientist feels in 
 duty bound to reject it. The differing thought that I 
 have added is that the continuity of life, after so-called 
 death, may be proven to us while here. Aside from 
 this, I am almost as much of a Christian Scientist as I 
 ever was. True, there was a time when I unconscious- 
 ly deified Mrs. Eddy. I no longer do that, but I have 
 no unkind thoughts of her. In the presence of some of 
 my Christian Science friends, I dared to say that Ella 
 Wheeler Wilcox, (although I did not always agree 
 
152 TIMELY AID 
 
 with her), was one of the foremost women of Amer- 
 ica, and that in her life work, her poems and other 
 writings, she was accomplishing much for humankind. 
 I dared to say that I had received periodicals such as 
 'Weltmer's Magazine/ 'Eleanor Kirk's Idea/ The Bal- 
 ance/ and many others. And they felt called upon to 
 tell me that I was ungrateful to Mrs. Eddy, and many 
 other things like that. When I departed even this little 
 way from the beaten path, I believe I had to stand and 
 take as much cautioning and reprimanding as has ever 
 been your lot to take. But can we not say 'Father for- 
 give them for they know not what they do/ Once, we 
 did not fail to attack other peoples' opinions or to assert 
 our own as though they were invincible. How true 
 this saying of Alice Cary's : 'Prejudice is the acid that 
 curdles the cream of human wisdom/ We have left 
 our churches for what seems to us to be a higher 
 thought. We ought to be willing to suffer a little com- 
 ment or even opposition for a righteous cause. Let us 
 remember the Scriptural assurance 'No weapon that is 
 formed against thee shall prosper and every tongue that 
 shall rise against thee thou shalt condemn. This is the 
 heritage of the servants of the Lord/ I have just been 
 reading the 'History of Arctic Heroes/ by J. A. Mudge 
 in which it is written : 'Fifteen years Frobisher went 
 about preaching Cathia as the promised land and the 
 Northwest as the way to it. Men's ears were dull and 
 their shoulders cold toward him; but his zeal did not 
 abate. Opposition is the flint which strikes fire from 
 some men. The sparks of enthusiasm which the smit- 
 ten Frobisher emitted soon set the nation on 
 fire/ Now T the thought comes to me, if this was the 
 case with Frobisher, how much more ought we, who 
 have the promised land, heaven and harmony, in view, 
 whose feet have already touched its borders, without 
 having tasted death, abound in zeal, until we shall have 
 
TIMELY AID 153 
 
 set the world on fire and burned up its dross and stub- 
 ble ! Others may and do hold different opinions con- 
 cerning our promised land and the way to it. We will 
 not let opposition turn us away from our heavenly pur- 
 suit ; but may it act as a flint to strike fire from each 
 and every one of us, not in the way of bitter contro- 
 versy, but in the practice of truth. Our enthusiasm in 
 this line must sooner or later induce our opponents to 
 try the journey with us. What care we for loud clamor, 
 for objections quite devoid of clear, forceful logic. We 
 can use the prayer of the Psalmist and God will an- 
 swer : 'Deliver me not over unto the will of mine ene- 
 mies ; for false witnesses are risen up against me and 
 such as breath out cruelty. Deliver me, O Lord ! from 
 the evil men who imagine mischief in their hearts. Con- 
 tinually are they gathered together against me.' Dear 
 John, we do not have to avenge our accusers. Our 
 prayer is already answered if in faith we walk out 
 upon the promises : 'They that hate thee shall be 
 clothed with shame.' 'A wicked messenger falleth into 
 mischief, but for a faithful ambassador is health.' Most 
 of our opponents are but loud clamorers. Let us care- 
 cully consider whether or not a man is resorting to un- 
 truths and misrepresentation of facts in order that he 
 may carry his point. We can usually detect when a 
 man is trying to make that appear argument which is 
 nothing more than mere passionate, vehement asser- 
 tion. Religious persecution is not to be compared with 
 that of a century and more ago. To receive the cold 
 shoulder from those we once classed among our dearest 
 friends is not pleasant, but even if they be so inclined, 
 you know they dare not go so far as to burn us at the 
 stake, or torture us at the whipping post. They may 
 succeed in getting us imprisoned, for practicing our 
 healing art or for our 'fortune telling', as it is called. 
 If we are adherents of truth and realize our Divinity, 
 
154 TIMELY AID 
 
 ^ve may rest secure and press forward tinder any 
 amount of undeserved censure, knowing that 'right will 
 triumph.' 
 
 "We, in a higher sense than Frobisher, have set 
 out to reach the promised land and we need not mind 
 the obstucles. 'Where there's a will there's a way.' 
 Working for the establishment of the Kingdom of 
 Heaven on earth, we have a mission destructive to sec- 
 tarian bitterness. It is foolish to be disheartened, but 
 rather let this opposition be the flint which se^s us all 
 on fire." 
 
 John thanked her for what she had said: "Your 
 words are encouraging and inspiring, my dear, I be- 
 lieve I will continue to sing the hymn : 'They are 
 slaves who dare not be, In the right with two or three/ 
 For you to accept of Spiritualism was a greater strug- 
 gle than for me, but now, of the two, I am seemingly 
 the wavering one. I seem to find it harder to stead- 
 fastly stand against all of this opposition. My plan 
 now is to preach for Spiritualism. I hope also to be- 
 come a healer, a prophet, and a seer. But, Clara, when 
 it comes to sermonizing, I will act as your mouth piece. 
 I will leave it to your superior wisdom to construct and 
 write all that I am to say. I have always considered 
 Edward's wife uncommonly bright. She's no compari- 
 son to you, dear. Uncle Joe would have brought me 
 tip to look upon woman as man's inferior, and wom- 
 an's worth as amounting to but very little. But the 
 prophet Jeremiah, I believe, was right. 'A woman 
 shall compass a man.' Mrs. Reynolds led me to you 
 and I suppose you will lead me all the rest of my days. 
 Sweetheart, I do not know as I can do better than to 
 allow you to point out the way in all things. I am 
 yours eternally. God knew what was best when He 
 made man a helpmate." 
 
TIMELY AID 155 
 
 Here the conversation drifted away from religion to 
 the small talk usually indulged in by lovers. 
 
 This we will omit, for it would not be interesting to 
 our readers, w 7 ho, it is to be hoped, are from among 
 the class so advanced in years and in wisdom's ways, 
 that they are without a trace of sentimentality but 
 vested with common sense. We have no more desire 
 to write a love story than our readers have to peruse 
 one. 
 
156 TIMELY AID 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 Fruits of the Spirit. 
 
 THERE is no sorrow so great, but that time, in a 
 measure, heals it. 
 It is now nearly three years since we left John 
 , Bell, so hopelessly sad in his Michigan home and 
 now again we find him in this town where so many 
 years of his life have been spent. He is accompanied by 
 his happy, pretty bride, Clara, and his little daughter of 
 three. They had visited Clara's brother on the way. 
 They found him a promising young man of whom they 
 might well be proud. He was studying law in the office 
 of his foster father. The brother and sister so long sep- 
 arated, were attached to each other from the first mo- 
 ment, and so much of their time and attention was 
 given to each other that the bride-groom said he felt 
 inclined to be jealous. We are happy to say that there 
 was no religious clash here, for the brother leaned 
 somewhat toward Spiritualism. He was very much in- 
 terested in what is called Divine Science or The New 
 Thought. I do not claim that this is Spiritualism, ex- 
 actly, but this I do aver, there is about as much differ- 
 ence between them as between grandmother's "posy- 
 beds" and our "flower-beds," raised from the same 
 seed. 
 
 There is much in a name. When our friends reached 
 the old home they found there a surprise in store. 
 John's cousin, William Stafford, like the prodigal son, 
 had returned. 
 
TIMELY AID 157 
 
 The town could not point to a better or more indus- 
 trious citizen than he. And on inquiry they learned 
 that he was leading an upright life, not for a few 
 weeks only, as a result of the latest revival meeting, 
 for it will be remembered he was always inclined to be 
 spasmodically religious, but, much to the surprise of 
 every one who knew him, his good character now 
 seemed to be established. There was a mutual attach- 
 ment between the cousins never felt before. William 
 told John what had made this transformation in a life 
 once given up wholly to selfishness and dissipation: 
 "In a spirit of levity I consulted a medium ; but she 
 was an honest medium, and while in her presence I 
 became convinced of 'the communion of saints.' I 
 left her in tears, determined to find out more about 
 this religion called Spiritualism, and I am now a firm 
 believer. All that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel 
 mother. I cannot now do wrong knowing that it will 
 grieve the dear ones over there." 
 
 And to this, John fervently said, "Amen." 
 The first to welcome them at home was the pastor of 
 the Spiritualist Church, who seemed to have entirely 
 forgotten that two or three years ago this same Rev. 
 John Bell had preached a most radical sermon on the 
 subject of Spiritualism, and written the same style of 
 denunciations for their town paper. The young man 
 received from his entertainer an earnest invitation to 
 fill the pulpit on the following Sunday night. You may 
 know that his former acquaintances held up their hands 
 in holy horror when it was noised about that he had 
 changed his principles and was taking this stand. Some 
 deemed it a duty, they owed to themselves, to hold him 
 at arms' length and to avoid meeting him. So they 
 hugged their garments about them and crossed over to 
 the other side of the street. Cold disdain was marked 
 on nearly every face. But in the heart of the good 
 
158 TIMELY AID 
 
 John Bell charity dominated over all other feeling. 
 When the night came on which he was to speak a few 
 of the Orthodox, prompted by curiosity, decided to at- 
 tend this despised church and hear what he might have 
 to say. 
 
 Each took care that none *of the church people 
 should see them enter. They really felt as much 
 ashamed of themselves as though they were about to 
 enter some down town saloon. 
 
 The service opened with the old familiar hymn, 
 "Nearer, My God to Thee." Then this earnest invo- 
 cation, which we have all read in the "Banner of 
 Light" was offered. 
 
 "O Spirit of Infinite Tenderness, whose pulsating 
 heart beats ever outward until the farthest corners of 
 the earth feel the influence of Thy care, we turn to 
 Thee this hour. So often in the midst of distress and 
 trouble we yearn to lean our aching hearts on the heart 
 of Infinite Love ; so often in the midst of the tumult 
 of life we yearn to rest in the quiet and peace of Love. 
 And we come again to Thee and ask that all hearts 
 that ache, all souls that yearn may find that same peace, 
 that same answer to their yearnings which has been 
 our own. The blessed assurance of life after death, 
 the overflowing joy that comes bounding up through 
 our consciousness when we realize that those we love 
 can never die, we would pass along to those who suffer 
 and mourn and walk in the darkness and the distress of 
 misunderstanding. We are Thine to be used as chan- 
 nels of expression. So shall the world be made bright- 
 er and happier for our effort. Amen." 
 
 This was followed by the singing of "Sweet Hour of 
 Prayer." 
 
 The pastor then offered a few introductory remarks 
 in which he welcomed the strangers within their gates. 
 
 "'Rev. John Bell, the speaker of the evening, needs 
 
TIMELY AID 159 
 
 no formal introduction, being well known to nearly 
 all present. Do not imagine, my dear Christian friends, 
 that Brother Bell is not still a worker in God's vine- 
 yard, though some of his religious opinions have 
 changed. 
 
 "He willingly stands with outstretched hand 
 
 To relieve his weary brothers, 
 And the store he has, be it ever so small,, 
 
 It's his joy to share with others.'' 
 
 "Though Brother Bell may be said to have branched 
 out into another path since we knew him as one -of 
 our respected townsmen, still let us remember, no 
 matter to what church we belong, we are all heaven- 
 ward bound. To all those differing in opinions I am 
 sure he would say, in the words of Abraham when he 
 parted from Lot, 'Let there be no strife I pray thee 
 between thee and me, between thy herdsmen and my 
 herdsmen, for we are brethren.' " 
 
 As our John came forward to address the people, 
 his manly face beamed with a happiness not born of 
 this world. Whether the sermon was written by his 
 wife, or came to him through spirit inspiration, we 
 are not prepared to say. 
 
 He chose for the Scripture lesson the twelvth chapter 
 of 1st Corinthians, and his text we find in St. Matthew : 
 "Ye shall know them by their fruits. " 
 
 "It had been many years since the close of the Civil 
 War. There was a reunion of soldiers. They were 
 few and scattering and bent with age, but all came to- 
 gether that possibly could. These G. A. R. boys love 
 to meet. It was Decoration Day and I had been in- 
 vited to address them. What a shaking of hands ! 
 What astonishment they feel as they see how time 
 with its toil, anxiety and sorrow, has altered them. 
 
160 TIMELY AID 
 
 They meet as strangers not knowing one another at 
 first. Then the look of recognition lights up their 
 faces. Each seems amazed to see the wrinkles, and the 
 old look which the other face bears. Poor old com- 
 rades ! 
 
 "At first they appear to feel sad to think how greatly 
 they have changed since they marched side by side in 
 the buoyancy of youth. But they soon get over this 
 as they laugh and chat and go over both funny and 
 thrilling reminiscences of war. The dinner hour 
 comes and they all assemble in a long hall where they 
 are to dine together. Another veteran, with snowy 
 locks and bent shoulders enters. They bid him wel- 
 come with a bow, but gave no hearty hand shake of 
 recognition. With trembling voice the old man said: 
 
 " 'Boys, don't you know me?' 
 
 "No one gave an answer." 
 
 "He left the hall with tears in his eyes. 'Who could 
 it be?' they said one to another. Presently, the old 
 man returns leaning upon the arm of a young man — 
 his son. With one united voice they shouted : 'O, 
 we do know you ! You were our captain/ How did 
 they know him? They knew him because the father 
 was reproduced in the son. 
 
 "This story illustrates the great truth our Master 
 expressed: 'He who hath seen the Son hath seen 
 the Father also.' 'God is Spirit.' To many this con- 
 veys but a vague idea of what the eternal Father 
 really is. Not the body of Jesus, but the Christed life 
 of that man, was the Father reproduced. And among 
 his recorded sayings we have this : 'Ye also shall bear 
 witness, because ye have been with me from the be- 
 ginning.' 
 
 "Those who were with Jesus during his ministry 
 were undoubtedly highly favored yet they found it as 
 difficult to believe in the miracles of the carpenter 
 
TIMELY AID 161 
 
 Jesus as you do to-day to believe in the seemingly 
 miraculous manifestations of spirit power around you. 
 In ten thousand ways to-day the ever-living spirit of 
 All Good is manifesting the divine power, wisdom and 
 truth yet our eyes are largely holden that we see it not 
 or, if we see it, in part, we doubt. 
 
 "One thing I wish to call attention to and it is this: 
 The very close and striking resemblance between true 
 primitive Christianity and Modern Spiritualism. Read 
 over the account St. Paul gives of the Nine Spiritual 
 Gifts (1 Cor. xii ch) which lay at the foundation of 
 all that was called miraculous in early Christianity — 
 and then study the authentic and carefully recorded in- 
 stances of similar spirit power to-day in Spiritualism, 
 and see if these 'gifts' (we prefer the term endow- 
 ments) are not in the world to-day and exercised even 
 in greater power, and on a wider scale, than ever be- 
 fore. 
 
 "When a child of 11 years of age, like Cora Scott 
 (Xow Mrs. Cora Richmond) gives discourses worthy 
 the profoundest philosopher, has she not the 'word of 
 wisdom?' Hundreds of similar cases are recorded in 
 Spiritualism's short history. When uneducated men 
 are caught by the power of an entrancing spirit and 
 discourse to us about the spirit realms and the material 
 universe in truths not learned in the schools, or gained 
 by experience, are not these present-day proofs of the 
 'word of knowledge ?' When the psychic relates facts 
 of your life hidden in the secret chambers of your 
 heart, is not this a demonstration of the same power? 
 
 "Similarly we might go through the category and 
 show how the endowment of 'faith/ 'healing/ 'mira- 
 cles/ 'prophecy,' 'discernment of spirits/ 'divers kinds 
 of tongues,' 'interpretation of tongues/ are all in the 
 world, exemplified in our very midst and with great 
 variety and power of expression to-day. Oh, my 
 
162 TIMELY AID 
 
 friends, open your blind eyes, unstop your deaf ears, 
 use your benumbed intellects, and consider the mar- 
 velous manifestations of spirit power about you. 
 
 "Remember that Spiritualism is not so much a re- 
 ligion as the fruitful Mother of all religions, the great 
 fountain whence religious light, life and inspiration 
 ; have been imparted to men. And the Bible and true 
 Christianity are no exceptions. Spiritualism did not 
 spring from the Bible — the Bible grew out of Spir- 
 itualism in its ancient manifestations. That the Bible 
 is a Spiritualist text book is capable of easy demonstra- 
 tion—the angels and spirits appearing in ancient times 
 with warnings, counsel, comfort, help and messages 
 for men, being in truth our departed brothers, minis- 
 tering unto those who shall be heirs of salvation. 
 
 "Listen to the claims of Spiritualism as set forth by 
 B. F. Austin, pastor of the Plymouth Church, Roch- 
 ester : 
 
 "The challenge of Spiritualism has gone forth and is 
 especially directed to three classes — to thinkers, to 
 doubters and to religionists. 
 
 "It claims to be a demonstration of the soul's sur- 
 vival of the shock of death, a proof of the essential 
 i spirituality of man's nature, a vindication of man's 
 inherent greatness and .. divinity, a duplication of the 
 miracles of early Christianity and the miracles of other 
 religions, a system of ethics of a loftier standard than 
 orthodoxy can present and with stronger motives to 
 good conduct, a religion offering the nectar of divine 
 consolation to men through its wireless telegraphy 
 between the mortal and the spirit spheres, and a reli- 
 
 - gion furnishing the loftiest and purest inspiration and 
 help in the unfolding of man's own soul powers." 
 
 Can you afford, as a truth-seeker, to be ignorant of 
 .the truth or falsity of these claims? 
 
 - To show you how replete the Bible is with phe- 
 
TIMELY AID 163 
 
 nomena -similar to that of Spiritualism I desire to call 
 attention to a little tract entitled "The Spiritual Phe- 
 nomena of the Bible" by Dr. Austin and classifying 
 the various manifestations as follows : 
 
 .Materialisation— Gen. III. 8; XVIIII, 1; XXXII, 
 24; Exodus XXIV, 10-11; Ezek, II, 9; Dan. V, 5; 
 Luke XXIV, 15, 16, 29, 30, 31 ; John XX, 19-30. 
 
 Spirit Writing— IlChron, XXI, 12-15; Dan. V, 5. 
 
 Independent Spirit Writing — Exodus XXIV, 12; 
 XXXII. 16 ; XXXIV, 1 ; Deut. V, 24. 
 
 Trumpet Speaking— Ex. XIX, 13, 16, 19 ; XX, 18; 
 Rev. I, 10. 
 
 Trance— Gen. XV, 12-17; Dan. VIII, 18; X, 9; Acts 
 
 IX. 3-9; XXXII, 17; II Cor. XII, 2. 
 
 Healing (Old Testament)— Num. XXI, 8-9; II 
 Kings, V, 1-14; I Kings. XVII, 17-24; II kings, IV, 
 18-37. 
 
 Healing (New Testament)— Matt. VIII, 5-13; XII, 
 10-13 ; Luke XIV 2-4 ; Mark III, 2-5 ; Luke V, 17-25 ; 
 John IV, 47-54; Luke IX, 11. 
 
 Disciples Commanded to Heal — Acts XIV, 8-10; 
 Acts III. 1-8. 
 ■ Gifts of Healing— I Cor. XII, 9-28. 
 
 Healing bv Magnetized Articles — II Kings IV, 29; 
 Acts XIX,_11, 12. 
 
 Independent Spirit Voices — Deut. IX, 12, 13; Ezek. 
 I, 28 ; Matt. XVII, 5 ; John XII, 28, 29, 30; Acts VII, 
 30.31: IX. 4. 7; XI, 7,8,9. 
 
 Spirit Lcvitation—l Kings XVIII, 12 ; II Kings II, 
 16; Ezek. Ill, 12, 13, 14; VIII, 3; Acts VIII, 39, 40; 
 possiblv Matt. IV, 1. 
 
 Spirit Tests— Gen. XXIV. 14-19; Exod. IV, 14-31; 
 Judges VI. 2>6. 40; I Sam. I, 10, 11, 17, 26, 27; I Sam. 
 
 X, 2, 6. 9, 10. 
 
 Spirit Communication in Dreams — Job XXXIII, 15; 
 Joel II, 28; Gen. XXVIII, 12; XXX, 24; XXXVII, 
 
164 TIMELY AID 
 
 5 ; XLI chapter ; Judges VII, 13 ; I Kings III, 5 ; Dan. 
 II, 4; Matt. I, 20; II, 13; XXVII, 19. 
 
 "Now no doubt every one present feels that he 
 would not only like to see these miracles performed, 
 but he would like to perform them. For his encour- 
 agement I will say, what we call occult and super- 
 natural is really natural. So-called miracles occur to- 
 day even as they did in Bible times. It is written 'God 
 will not cast off nor forsake his people/ * * * 
 'That which hath been is now and that which is to be 
 hath already been.' 
 
 "When we see matter passing through matter, spirit 
 photos appearing upon canvas, with no object before 
 the camera, slate-written messages coming where no 
 visible hand has touched the pencil, the sick man lifted 
 from his couch of pain perfectly healed, and like phe- 
 nomena, we call it a miracle and the man through whom 
 such manifestations are given we pronounce an adept. 
 But there is really nothing new or miraculous about it. 
 
 "God through the angel world is still man's bene- 
 factor, his preserver and his safety when in imminent 
 danger. I will recite a poem that to me is very beau- 
 tiful and full of meaning. I am unable to give the 
 author's name. 
 
 MIRACLES. 
 
 "Bind your Isaac to the altar, 
 
 Bind him there with many a cord; 
 O, my brother, do not falter. 
 
 Can't you fully trust your Lord? 
 Ke it is who watches o'er you, 
 
 Though your path may oft be dim, 
 He will bring new life to Isaac 
 
 Leave the miracle to Him. 
 
TIMELY AID 165 
 
 Note that scene on plains of Dura, 
 
 See the Hebrew martyr band 
 Firmly standing for Jehovah, 
 
 Trusting in His hidden hand. 
 He is mighty to deliver 
 
 From the power of death so grim; 
 Fiery furnace cannot harm thee, 
 
 Leave the miracle to Him. 
 
 Bring to Christ your loaves and fishes 
 
 Though they be both few and small 
 He will use the weakest vessels, 
 
 Give to Him your little all. 
 Do you ask how many thousands 
 
 Can be fed with food so slim? 
 Listen to the Master's blessing, 
 
 Leave the miracle to Him. 
 
 Christian workers looking forward 
 
 To the ripened harvest field, 
 Does the task seem great before you, 
 
 Think you scant will be the yield? 
 Bravely enter with your Master 
 
 Though the prospect may seem dim, 
 Preach the word with holy fervor 
 
 Leave the miracle to Him. 
 
 O, ye Christians, learn the lesson, 
 
 Are you struggling all the way? 
 Cease your trying, change to trusting, 
 
 Then you'll triumph every day. 
 Whatso'er he bids you do it, 
 
 Fill the water pots to brim, 
 And remember 'tis His battle, 
 
 Leave the miracle to Him." 
 
166 TIM EL Y AID 
 
 A few convincing "tests" were given by Mrs. Bell, 
 the congregation sang the doxology, the benediction 
 was pronounced and they separated to their places of 
 abode. 
 
 Some of the strangers to Spiritualism went away, 
 wondering greatly at the things they had seen and 
 heard through the medium. They went away almost 
 persuaded and pronounced his a most excellent ser- 
 mon. There were others who left the service pro- 
 nouncing it both ridiculous and unchristian from be- 
 ginning to end. Even among the Spiritualists them- 
 selves there were a few who did not quite agree with 
 the speaker, but there were more who were satisfied 
 with the subject he had chosen and the liberal way in 
 which it had been handled. 
 
 Regardless of what the world thinks and says of 
 him our young minister continues to preach the reli- 
 gion of the angels, and his wife is working with him, 
 delivering messages of comfort and cheer to those who 
 mourn, and healing those who are sick with no less 
 success than when she read the works of Mary Baker 
 G. Eddy only. The study of the books penned by S. 
 A. Weltmer, Melinda Cramer and others does not seem 
 to have hurt her or her work in the least. She is still 
 a Christian, we mean by that word, she lives; not for 
 self, but for the good of mankind. 
 
 How true these words of Olive Rich in the magazine 
 called "New Thought." "If we spent as much time 
 studying points of similarity as we do in studying dif- 
 ferences we would shortly discover that we could all 
 stand on the same platform even if we don't wear the 
 same kind of shoes." 
 
 If we are shod with the gospel of Jesus the Christ, 
 let it be labeled "New Thought," "Christian Science," 
 "Methodism" or what it will, God's platform is big 
 enough to hold us all. No sect should claim monopoly 
 
TIMELY AID 167 
 
 nor attempt to crowd another off. Let him who be- 
 lieves he is shod with the gospel keep his shoes so clean 
 and bright that through the law of attraction others 
 will be led to don the same kind. If we claim Jesus 
 was a Spiritualist, let our lives attest our sincerity by 
 walking in his footsteps. 
 
 "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of 
 him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace 
 and salvation ; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth." 
 
 "So many ways, so many creeds, 
 So many paths that wind and wind. 
 
 While all the art this sad world needs 
 Is just the art of being kind." 
 
 The End. 
 
CONCORDANCE 
 
TIMELY AID 171 
 
 FRUITAGE. 
 
 AND there appeared unto Jesus an angel from 
 Heaven, strengthening him. St. Luke 22:43. 
 The religion of the future will be one that 
 practices the Christ method of healing. "They 
 shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." 
 With the advent of Spiritualism, earth received the 
 second coming of the royal beauties of the old gospel. 
 
 It has ever been the mission of true Spiritualism to 
 bring "Peace on earth and good will to men." to 
 "Preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of 
 sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are 
 bound." It certainly did this for Phineas Eames 
 whose testimony of healing found in the "Truths of 
 Spiritualism," by E. V. Willson, we here copy in part, 
 For three years following his wonderful healing he 
 remained well and performed manual labor on the farm 
 of the brother-in-law to whom his letter is addressed. 
 E. V. Willson describes his brother's transition as fol- 
 lows: "On June 7th, 1873, the anniversary of his 
 fifty-fifth birthday, Phineas Eames was gently born into 
 spirit-life, entering upon his journey over the river 
 without a struggle or a groan and while we were sing- 
 ing a favorite piece of his : 
 
 "Joyfully, joyfully, onward I move, Bound for the 
 land of bright spirits above." 
 
 "The angel friends who stood around him joined in 
 with us, and we heard their voices of praise distinctly, 
 and while singing, the last breath here was drawn, his 
 spirit was born into the higher life beyond the river. 
 
 "Was this death ? Call it not death ! but life contin- 
 ued. We obtained the services of Sister Julia Sever- 
 ance of Milwaukee, to speak words of cheer to the liv- 
 
172 TIMELY AID 
 
 ing. Many kind friends came together on this occa- 
 sion, listening for the first time to a Spiritualist burial 
 service. 
 
 "Wreaths of white flowers were lovingly laid upon 
 the casket, by his children and our family as we ten- 
 derly lowered it to its last resting place all realizing 
 fully that he was not in the casket ; but standing with 
 us, our spirit brother, and henceforth would become the 
 angel guardian of his children assisting us in their 
 culture and development into womanhood/' 
 
 Shortly after Phineas Eames, had lost his home, his 
 wife and two children, a boy of seven and baby girl, 
 in the Michigan forest fire of the fall of 1871, and he 
 with his two daughters, aged twelve and fourteen, had 
 reached Mr. Willson's home he dictated the letter to 
 this brother, here given in its essential parts : 
 
 Lombard, 111., Nov., 1871. 
 
 Dear Brother: Here I am at home with the rem- 
 nant of my family the two oldest girls, in answer to 
 your kind letter asking us to come. God and the angels 
 be with you to reward you and yours. 
 
 In less than one hour after the fire came upon us, my 
 wife and two children were dead by my side. Can you 
 imagine my feelings, brother, as, with my girls now 
 motherless, myself still burning we lay there? 
 
 God grant that you may never pass through such a 
 night. 
 
 Soon the wind decreased in violence, and the force 
 of the tempest of fire and wind had passed on; we 
 could hear its terrible roar and we were in its awful 
 trail. We now began to fully realize our condition. 
 All of us cold and nearly naked. I fearfully burned, 
 from the top of my head down to the soles of my feet, 
 suffering the most intense pain. 
 
 I felt that I could not endure and live ; my face one 
 
TIMELY AID 173 
 
 mass of burns ; my body burned deep in many places ; 
 my hands, legs, and feet fairly roasted. I had on two 
 pairs of pants, they were tucked inside my boots, leav 
 ing the leather, burned to a crisp, on my roasted feet. 
 Can you realize what I passed through and suffered, 
 suffering ten thousand deaths, and could not die as I 
 had desired to with my wife and babies ? 
 
 I then called on the little group, six of us in all, and 
 said to them : "Here is all that is left of our two fam- 
 ilies, so far as we know. We know not where your 
 husband and the other children are ; my wife, baby 
 and son are dead. Now, in this hour of sorrow, let us 
 all, with one accord and united voices, pray earnestly 
 to Almighty God, our Father, as we never did before, 
 that we may have grace and strength to endure this 
 terrible affliction and that in this fearful pain I am now 
 suffering I may be sustained and strengthened." 
 
 And as our voices mingled, ascending in prayer, all 
 at once I felt surrounded with a host of angelic be- 
 ings ; they were on my right and on my left, before me 
 and behind me ; I felt their presence so clearly, that I 
 thought, if I moved either way, I should touch them. 
 And we prayed on without ceasing, until in a moment, 
 I felt my pain had left me entirely, and from that mo- 
 ment I have never felt the least pain from my burns; 
 and all who were with me, and have nursed me for the 
 last thirty days, can testify to my condition. 
 
 And I call upon my God to witness that this is the 
 truth, and that I am this day a living demonstration of 
 His power to heal through ministering spirits. Al- 
 though, brother, you know I have never professed to 
 be a Spiritualist, neither have I been a member of the 
 church for years. 
 
 I recognized none of these angel visitants. It mat- 
 tered little to me who they were. When they came my 
 pain left me, and more they lifted from me the great 
 
174 TIMELY AID 
 
 weight of sorrow. They bid me look up not down, on 
 those lifeless forms ; they are not there in those charred 
 and marred bodies ; they have passed on, are now rest- 
 ing in the Summerland above, and will be with you 
 soon ; they suffered not as you think, but in a moment, 
 in the twinkling of an eye, they were born into im- 
 mortal life. Turn now to the living; there is your 
 duty. Mourn not for those who have passed on-; you 
 are to live and go from here. From that prayer I rose 
 up free from pain, and strengthened to endure my loss. 
 We remained there until near daylight.. Then we 
 turned from our dead in silence and from the ashes of 
 our home, we started for Menominee, seven miles 
 away. Fire had passed over the ground, leaving its 
 traces all around, the State road was almost impas- 
 sable. Every house w T as burned between ours and the 
 town but one, and this was five miles away; we 
 reached it about seven o'clock in the evening. All that 
 day I was led by my girls, and our neighbors, over and 
 under trees, groping in darkness. My face was so 
 swollen and blistered that I could not see only as I 
 opened my eyes by force. We were all hungry, thirsty 
 and nearly naked. It was very cold. Glad were we 
 when we reached Judge Ingalls' farm. We found an 
 old Frenchman in charge who welcomed us and sup- 
 plied our pressing needs. Just then Dr. Sherman met 
 us, having come down as quickly as possible after get- 
 ting word from my neighbor, who had gone in ahead. 
 The doctor, seeing how tired I was, thought best to 
 have me rest until morning. Then I was carried on a 
 bed, in a wagon, to Menominee, two miles, and found 
 friends, who kindly welcomed me and dressed my 
 wounds. I remained with them for thirty days, until 
 able to accept your invitation to come to the home of 
 my wife's sister where I and my motherless girls were 
 welcomed — God bless you — my brother ! I have told 
 
TIMELY AID 175 
 
 you I reached Menominee, Tuesday morning, October 
 10, and while there was cared for by Dr. Sherman, 
 who, after cutting off the rags, remnants of my clothes, 
 proceeded to dress my burns, roasted feet and hands, 
 and swollen eyes. I cannot tell you how bad I was. 
 To any who may doubt my word, let them write to Dr. 
 Sherman as to my condition, and then they will realize 
 fully what the Lord has done for me through His 
 angels. Drs. Shepard and Dodge took charge of me 
 after the first few days. I was tenderly cared for and 
 nursed with brotherly and sisterly love. Many will 
 testify that when I reached Menominee, my condition 
 was such that none thought I could live ; and all who 
 came in contact with me, will testify to the truth of my 
 statements that they have heard no complaints or 
 groans, or flinching when my burns were being 
 dressed. 
 
 On Tuesday night, the 10th, while lying at the Tay- 
 lor House, I saw my wife in a vision ; others came with 
 her ; and it was said to me, from these spirits— I could 
 not distinguish whose voice — " You w T ill live and go to 
 Illinois." I awoke and felt refreshed, and have ever 
 since been surrounded by unseen friends helping me 
 all the time. I could not at the time comprehend how 
 I was to go to Illinois in my present condition. Then 
 came Mary's letter ; and at the end of thirty days the 
 promise of these heavenly visitors was fulfilled. 
 
 When I left, kind friends procured me a pass to 
 Chicago ; accompanied by your friends that met us, 
 we went to the Mayor, who kindly greeted us, then 
 countersigned our passes and bid me God-speed. 
 
 All the way conductors and passengers seemingly 
 vied with each other to help us on our way. It was 
 only necessary for me to mention the Peshtigo and 
 Menominee fires, and point to my burns, for they were 
 my witnesses. On my way, I met many who knew 
 
176 TIMELY AID 
 
 you, and to mention your name to them was to win, 
 at once, their sympathy and help. And now, here I am 
 in your home, all there is left of my once happy family, 
 being tenderly cared for — and after five weeks I find 
 myself quite helpless, but I can see, thank God. My 
 hands and feet are slowly improving ; I am gaining 
 strength and can move about the house — I feel con- 
 fident that I will regain the use of my hands in time ; 
 the nails are all coming off, but new ones will come in 
 their place; I trust to retain all my fingers, and the 
 use of them ; I suffer no pain. I thank God for allow- 
 ing me to testify that I have been healed of pain 
 through the minstering of angel friends ; and I here 
 desire to add my testimony to thousands of other wit- 
 nesses, that I know our loved ones do return to us, 
 and that men and women are prompted by these, our 
 spirit friends, and theirs also, to help their brothers and 
 sisters in the earth life. 
 
 And now, dear brother, this is the way I have been 
 led to your home, and am made welcome by your fam- 
 ily, as well as by many angel friends ; I can feel their 
 presence here, but cannot always see them. I have felt 
 them working over my crippled hands and feet, and 
 believe they will restore to me the use of them in good 
 time. 
 
 Brother, I am a living demonstration of spirit 
 power, through the laws of God, who came to my help 
 in the hour of trouble and relieved me of all my pain. 
 I am now a Spiritualist: What else could I be, after 
 seeing, hearing and feeling their presence, and wit- 
 nessing their power to remove pain and restore one 
 back to life who was so near the grave as I was? 
 And you are at liberty to make use of these facts as 
 it seems good to you. All I have stated can be proved, 
 by writing to any of the parties mentioned above, or 
 to the Relief Committee, at Menominee, Mich., they 
 
TIMELY AID 177 
 
 will all remember me, as the only one so badly burned, 
 that lived. God and angels be with you — and bless 
 you in your work — in the cause of spiritual freedom. 
 I hope soon to see you. Accept love and heartfelt 
 thanks from myself and children. 
 
 Phixeas Eames. 
 
 From the "Truths of Spiritualism/' 
 
 Healing in the Year 1868. 
 
 Wm. P. Parker, of Yates City, 111., says : "About 
 twelve years ago, my wife, Julia,, was attacked with 
 inflammatory rheumatism of a malignant type, and for 
 twelve weeks was entirely helpless, being under the 
 care of Dr. Gregory of Farmington, 111., he had given 
 her up, and publicly stated that she could not get well. 
 On a certain day, the Rev. Mr. McGee, a Methodist, 
 carrying on a revival meeting in Livola Center, 111., 
 called at my home, saw my wife, examined her (he 
 having studied medicine), and said: 'She, will not 
 live beyond this o'clock this P. M. for mortification has 
 already taken place, and she is now dying/ and he in 
 public made statement to that effect. This examina- 
 tion by the Rev. McGee, was made on Monday morn- 
 ing at ten o'clock/' 
 
 My wife said: "If spirits can come back and assist 
 those who suffer, I would be pleased if they could, or 
 would come and help me/' At this time her limbs 
 were very much swollen, and, of herself, she could 
 not move them, and when moved by others suffered 
 terribly. She had but finished the words, when she 
 was seized by some invisible power, and without the 
 help of others, exercised for the space of thirty min- 
 utes, when to our great surprise, the swollen condi- 
 tion disappeared, her limbs became natural and limber, 
 and all pain was gone. Soon after this phenomenon, 
 
178 TIMELY AID 
 
 Dr. Gregory called. We told him what had taken 
 place. He was very much surprised — examined his; 
 patient very carefully, asked us many questions, but 
 left no medicine, simply saying, when he left: "You 
 will request the phenomenon to occur again tomorrow, 
 at the same time it did today/' 
 
 On the next day, a little before the time for the 
 phenomenon to repeat itself, Dr. G. came, and the 
 same thing occurred again in his presence. The Doc- 
 tor was not fully satisfied of the cause, but very much 
 surprised at the results. When we had seen the phe- 
 nomenon for the third time my wife was cured, and 
 that, too, without any medicine being given. Dr. G. 
 wrote an account of the whole transaction, making 
 a_ clear statement of the case, and sent it to the medi- 
 cal faculty, at Chicago, with whom it remained for 
 some time, and then was returned to him with this 
 reply: "It is beyond our knowledge and we have no 
 precedent to which we can refer you." 
 
 Note. — How strange it is that so wonderful a phenomenon 
 should take place, and known to the medical faculty, and not 
 have publicity. Are not the blind leading the blind leading 
 the blind? And yet the case of Mrs. Wm. Parker is as well 
 established as the fact that U. S. Grant is president of the 
 United States, and, no doubt, by and by, when another such 
 case occurs, and it is placed in the hands of the medical fac- 
 ulty, they will shake their heads very wisely and return it to 
 the sender, saying : "We have no precedent, hence it is not 
 worthy of our notice." But how different it would have been 
 had this occurred to the wife of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob or 
 Solomon. We are, as Christians, willing to believe the story 
 of Samson and his foxes ; of Elisha and his ax-pole ; of Jonah 
 arid his great fish; but doubt this phenomenon at our door, 
 and with any number of witnesses living who saw it and are 
 willing to testify thereto. E, V. Wilson. 
 
TIMELY AID 179 
 
 Healing in 1869. 
 From the "Truth of Spiritualism." 
 
 In Council Bluffs, Iowa, dwells Dr. and his 
 
 lady, old residents of the place. The doctor is an 
 Atheist ; his wife a Catholic. They are considered rich, 
 They have five children, four with them, one in the 
 Summerland. 
 
 Some four years ago Jesse, their first born son, 
 now thirteen years old, had an attack of fever which 
 ended in hip disease, contracting the cords of the leg, 
 drawing the foot up to the back of the thigh, causing 
 the thigh to shrink and wither and the leg to be use- 
 less, and obliging him to walk with crutches for over 
 three years. Last winter and spring the hip became 
 very troublesome and painful, pus in considerable 
 quantities forming along the bone from the thigh joint 
 nearty to the knee, and in such quantities that by plac- 
 ing the fingers on the thigh, pressing hard, and moving 
 the hand down to the knee, the pus would accumulate 
 before the finger as it approached the end of the sack, 
 when the pressure w r ould become so great that the pus 
 would force itself back and gurgle as it flowed back 
 to its place. Early last summer, the doctor called a 
 counsel of physicians. Their conclusions were: 
 
 First. Amputation. 
 
 Second. Make an incision, opening the flesh from 
 joint to joint, extract the sack and pus, clean the bone, 
 and heal by slow process. 
 
 Third. To absorb the pus by scientific applications, 
 sever the cords at the knee joint, straighten the leg by 
 force, leaving the boy to pass through life with a stiff 
 knee — "and I accepted the third proposition/' said the 
 father, "and offered ten thousand dollars to anyone 
 who could cure my son, and make his leg whole and 
 perfect as the other." 
 
180 TIMELY AID 
 
 This much the father of Jesse told me. Said the 
 mother : 
 
 "With a sad and sorrowful heart I took Jesse up to 
 his bed on the evening of the day this council took 
 place, trembling with fear in view of the trial my boy 
 was soon to pass through. While undressing him and 
 preparing for bed, I felt a strange influence come over 
 me. My hand was strangely moved out and toward 
 the thigh of my boy, and the voice of my father, who 
 was in his day a good physician, but who has been 
 many years in the Spirit World, said to me, 'Daughter, 
 heal your son Jesse/ and then my hand went out to 
 the thigh of my boy, making several passes over it; 
 after which I was told to take the boy out of bed and 
 stand him up against the wall. I obeyed; and then 
 I noticed that the leg was straight. I stepped a little 
 back from him, and bade him come to me. He did so. 
 The next morning he came down stairs without his 
 crutches. The leg was well, full and sound ; the gurg- 
 ling pus gone, the stiffened cords limber and straight. 
 My boy is healed — is sound and- well/' 
 
 "Come hither Jesse," I requested. And the lad came ' 
 to us in the prefect use of his limbs. The crooked leg 
 is straight; the withered and shrunken thigh is full, 
 round and plump as the well one. There he stood 
 before me, the personification of health. We examined 
 the boy carefully; we saw him walk, run, work, play. 
 There was no halt or limp, no complaint, and no effects 
 of the old disease left. There is no difference in the 
 size, shape, form or appearance of the legs. 
 
 We turned to the doctor, and said: "Are these 
 statements of yourself and wife true, and may we use 
 them?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "What say you Madam?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
TIMELY AID 181 
 
 "Doctor," we asked, "Did you or the physicians in 
 council have any thing to do with the case?" 
 
 "No, sir." 
 
 "Who cured this son of yours, Doctor?" 
 
 "My wife, sir, not I." 
 
 "What say you to the Spiritual part in this case?" 
 
 "I have only this to say. I did not see the spirit. 
 My wife says she sees, hears and feels, at times, what 
 you call spirits. I know the child was a helpless inva- 
 lid, when he went to bed with his mother, I know he 
 came down healed, sound and well. You see him as I 
 see him. I did not heal him, nor did any living physi- 
 cian have any thing to do with his case. My wife 
 healed him." 
 
 "Madam, did you heal this boy in and of yourself?" 
 
 "No, sir, my father, now a spirit, through me, healed 
 this my son." 
 
 "Have you ever seen or felt the influence of your 
 father on any other occasion than this ?" 
 
 "Yes, several times. Once he came to me and told 
 me to take my sister out of the Convent, and I did so, 
 and I attribute, through God, the healing of my son 
 to the Spirit World, and myself as the vital or living 
 agent used by them." 
 
 "Are there other cases in which you have felt this 
 power, and healed the sick?" 
 
 "Yes, I was in Missouri this summer, after the 
 healing of my son, and there was in the family with 
 whom I was visiting, a child who had falling fits, and 
 had had them for several years. While there, this 
 child had one of these terrible fits. I felt this wonder- 
 ful power with me ; took the child in my lap, passing 
 my hand over its head and face, and from that time 
 to this, the child has had no return of the fits. So 
 writes one of his parents." 
 
 "What do your priests say to these things?" 
 
182 TIMELY AID 
 
 "They say it is the work of the Devil, and that he 
 does these things to deceive me and cause the loss of 
 my soul/' 
 
 "Do you believe them or the spirits — which ? " 
 
 "I believe the spirits and shall continue to believe 
 them." And in my soul I rejoiced and thanked God 
 that I am free and not a Christian, and that I had lived 
 to see these things. 
 
 We are prepared to prove the statements in this 
 communication. 
 
 E. V. Wilson, "The Seer." 
 
 From the "Truths of Spiritualism." 
 Cured of a Tumor. 
 
 We clip the following testimonial from the Magazine 
 
 in which it was printed : — 
 Dear Magazine of Mysteries : 
 
 When I first began to read your paper, and the 
 Hindu Book of Astrology, one year ago I was sick in 
 ~bed with what my doctor called a tumorous growth. 
 He said I must go to a hospital and have it cut out 
 if I ever expected to get well, and that I would have 
 to act quickly, for the more the fibres grew the more 
 dangerous the operation would be. Not feeling in- 
 clined to go to tire hospital, I resolved to try the Mys- 
 tic Success Club, for which I now thank God. I am 
 nearly well without the use of the knife. God, through 
 the Holy Mystics, is healing me. Since I went through 
 the Four Degrees of the Mystic Scroll I can truly 
 say that my health is much better and that my financial 
 condition is much improved. 
 
 Samantha Palmer, Woodlawn, Ore. 
 
TIMELY AID 183 
 
 A Remarkable Cure by Spirits. 
 I know of one lady who does not call herself a 
 Spiritualist, giving spirits the credit of restoring her 
 sight. She was nearly blind when she heard of a 
 healer who told her to sit at a certain time holding a 
 glass of pure water in her hands. This may look in- 
 credible to others as it did to her son who made light 
 of her faith. She asked him to taste the water, and he 
 was astonished to find it was as bitter as gall. 
 ■ Now, what changed the water? If something had 
 been put into it, she would have known it, as she only 
 handled the glass. 
 
 Spirits certainly restored her sight. Her son has 
 told me of the wonderful cure. 
 
 Mrs; C. W. Hay. 
 
 Healing Through Spirit Power. 
 
 The following, taken from a recent number of "Le 
 Messager," is interesting. It was clipped from the 
 Paris dailv "Le Soir," on the 26th of January last 
 (1905): 
 
 "Mr. Boucard, an examining magistrate of Paris,, 
 today examined an old tailor of Cardinal Lemoine St., 
 Pradier, who was arrested upon complaint of a syndi- 
 cate of doctors, for the illegal practice of medicine. 
 
 "Here is the explanation "Sir. Pradier gave: 'You 
 cannot reproach me with having practised medicine.. 
 I have never written a prescription, I have never told 
 a remedy. Then no one can say I have swindled my 
 patients ; I have never asked a cent from them, and, 
 when once healed, I have refused when they have in- 
 sisted upon my taking a present. 
 
 ' T have treated them by calling upon the spirits and 
 by placing my hands upon the spot where the pain was. 
 The mission of curing my friends was given me by 
 
184 TI M ELY AID 
 
 God. When I was forty, I was about to die from 
 cancer of the stomach. The doctors had given me up. 
 The spirits saved my life. From this I learned that 
 within me lay a mysterious force. This force I have 
 given to the service of my friends and I can rejoice, 
 not without reason, for I know of no more remarkable 
 cures than those I have made.' 
 
 "In support of this statement, Mr. Pradier sent the 
 magistrate a bundle of documents attesting the cures 
 he.had made. * 
 
 "As the magistrate showed an intention to have Mr. 
 Pradier examined mentally, his counsel demanded that 
 this duty should be given to a professor of the school 
 of Nancy (where hypnotism has been so long studied 
 and used)/' — Translated by Mime Inness. 
 
 "Banner of Light." 
 
 Remarkable Cure. 
 
 The many friends of Miss Abbie Fadden will be 
 pleased to know that she has fully recovered her health 
 and strength. Five years ago this month, Miss Fadden 
 was taken ill with typhoid fever, and after an illness 
 of ten weeks found that she was unable to walk with- 
 out the aid of crutches. In October, 1900, she was 
 taken to the "Mary Fletcher Hospital" in Burlington, 
 where she remained some two weeks. Again in Feb- 
 ruary, 1901, she was taken to the hospital, this time 
 remaining four months but received very little benefit 
 from her treatment there, as she was obliged to resort 
 to the use of her crutches upon her return. Some time 
 since her attention was called to Dr. James W. Withell, 
 a magnetic specialist of Montreal, who was stopping 
 with Dr. E. A. Smith. Miss Fadden was prevailed 
 upon to try Dr. WitheH's treatment, and at the end of 
 five treatments she was able to throw away her crutches. 
 
TIMELY AID 185 
 
 She has since been gaining rapidly until at the present 
 time she considers herself entirely cured. 
 
 From "Reason" Magazine. 
 
 The God-Ordained Physician. 
 
 (We clip the following interesting communication 
 from the "Sunflower.") 
 
 "Now there are diversities of Gifts, but the same 
 Spirit. * * * And there are diversities of workings,, 
 but the same God, who worketh all things in all. But 
 to each one is given the manifectation of the Spirit to 
 profit withal. For to one is given through the Spirit 
 the word of wisdom ; and to another the word of 
 knowledge, according to the same Spirit ; to another 
 faith, in the same Spirit ; and to another gifts of heal- 
 ing, in the same Spirit. * * * But all these worketh 
 the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one sev- 
 erally even as he will." — (New Test. R. V.) 
 
 It is evfdent from these words that Paul was familiar 
 with quite a number of phases of mediumship and that 
 he regarded the marked endowments of men for serv- 
 ice to their kind, as the special gifts or manifestations 
 in them of the One Omnipresent Spirit in all, over all, 
 and through all, even "God who worketh all things 
 in all." 
 
 Among the "gifts" or "workings" of the Spirit speci- 
 fied is "Healing," thus implying that the healing of the 
 sick, or the cure of disease, is a divine ordinance, and 
 universal in its scope; and that the means of cure are 
 spiritual in character and origin, God working in and 
 through the human spirit, or the human spirit working 
 in and through God to this end. 
 
 Jesus, the Great Physician, announced this as the 
 divine means and method of healing as He went about 
 
186 TIM EL Y AID ■ ■ 
 
 doing good, teaching the laws of health, "healing all 
 manner of diseases/' and even raising the so-called 
 dead to life. He directed his followers to "Go into 
 all the world and preach the gospel to the whole crea- 
 tion, saying : "And these signs shall follow them that 
 believe : in My name shall they cast out demons ; they 
 shall speak with new tongues ; they shall take up ser- 
 pents, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall in no 
 wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and 
 they shall recover. * * * And they went forth and 
 preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, 
 and confirming the word by the signs that followed/' — 
 Mark, R. V. 
 
 This Christ-established method of healing "all man- 
 ner of disease/' casting out the demons of lust, intem- 
 perance and every "unclean spirit," and attaining that 
 perfection of health which stands secure above the 
 power of any contagion, and the most deadly poisons, 
 was successfully carried out in the primitive church, 
 and has been also to a great degree by a faithful few 
 ■who, in all the centuries from that day to this, have 
 •been true to the teachings of the Spirit. Time and 
 again I have been assured by Roman Catholic clergy- 
 men that the power of healing by prayer was thor- 
 oughly understood in the church, but that it was only 
 on very rare occasions it was used, and even through 
 the mediumship of the officiating clergyman. What 
 they attributed to the religion was simply the Spirit 
 working through an organism that could be used for 
 the purpose of healing. In Boston a number of Protes- 
 tant clergymen have taken up the subject and accord- 
 ing to newspaper reports they are meeting with con- 
 siderable success ; so it looks as if Mrs. Eddy and her 
 "Science" will not be permitted to enjoy a monopoly 
 of healing the body by manipulating the soul. 
 
 Spiritualists have in their ranks more successful 
 
TIMELY AID 187 
 
 healers than can be found in any of the other religions,. 
 due in great measure to the thorough rapport they 
 establish with the spirit world. Among those gifted 
 with the power of curing all manner of diseases I will 
 only mention a few, among them being the late Doctor 
 J. R. Newton, who even now is aiding humanity 
 through the instrumentality of his good wife. Doctor 
 W. C. Crockett of Boston and Abby Cutter of Onset, 
 who did so much to cure and relieve the sufferings of 
 her fellow creatures during her sojourn on earth, and 
 like Doctor Newton is at the present time continuing 
 her good work with the aid of mediumistic healers on 
 the plane of mortal existence. 
 
 It must not be inferred that the world of today is 
 without healing mediums as gifted as any of those who* 
 have gone before, and if proof of this statement is 
 demanded I can point to Mme. Susse, of 161 West 80th 
 Street, New York City, who has effected as many cures 
 and under as difficult conditions as did any of her 
 more famous predecessors. Mme. Susse is a most 
 devoted Spiritualist and is in almost continuous com- 
 munion with the heavenly hosts. Among her controls 
 are Doctors Newton, Rush, Hanneman and Abby Cut- 
 ter. I need hardly inform you that it is only in the 
 last extremity spirit doctors are called in and then as 
 a last resource, regular practitioners having abandoned 
 the case as hopeless. Well, even under those adverse 
 circumstances, Mme. Susse has performed wonderful 
 cures and one that came under my immediate notice is 
 worth recording. A certain lady, a dear friend of mine, 
 was about to undergo an operation which would entail 
 a great deal of suffering and possibly be attended by 
 fatal results. Being a Spiritualist she consulted her 
 disembodied friends as to what she should do and they 
 unhestitatingly instructed hereto submit her case to 
 Mme. Susse, who would relieve her from all pain and 
 
188 TIMELY AID 
 
 danger and that without the aid of drugs or scalpel. 
 This she did and now she is a perfectly healthy woman 
 whose cure was brought about entirely by spirit power 
 under the auspices of Mme. Susse's guides. 
 
 Flesh and sense, when subordinated to the Spirit 
 within, become amenable to the developed soul of a 
 medium such as is Mme. Susse, and already her fame 
 as a healer is spreading rapidly throughout the country, 
 and justly so; for in addition to the curative qualities 
 of her mediumship she is a lady of refinement and 
 worth and stands for all that is best, purest and most 
 advanced in genuine spiritual science. 
 
 Mrs. M. E. Williams. 
 
 26 Wright St., Stapleton, Staten Island, N. Y.