I spent the whole of yesterday with the senior elder in my church. Fortunately in this case we have but one. I laid before him in full what I thought to be my duty in the case. That now since the way had been opened to me I ought to obey. That while I had in theory presented the position of C– S–Expanded:Christian Science I ought to look into the demonstration of it and if I found it in accordancy Corrected: accordance with the theory to both preach and practice it. That I of course accept the theology & and I have preached it— On Sunday morning I presented from, Mark 1:21–28Mark 1:21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. Mark 1:22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. Mark 1:23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, Mark 1:24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. Mark 1:25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. Mark 1:26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. Mark 1:27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. Mark 1:28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee. ; the teaching on demonology not as opinions but as my convictions. Some have stumbled at the statement "God is Principle and not person" but I prove it and that suffices with these people for they want to learn and I have and so have they for we are not creed bound the right of investigation

Well the conclusion was this. The church cannot at present entertain an idea of my resigning, but that I can preach what I believe that is not contradictory to the teachings of Jesus and His Apostles. The elder and his wife who are both spiritually minded persons drank in for hours yesterday the sublime truths of C–SExpanded:Christian Science. They had of course been prepared by my teaching for the past seven weeks. They said We recognize the truth that there is a higher Christianity and we want it and this church wants it and just as they are able to bear it they will receive it. Having preached on Sunday night our "Infinite Possessions" from "all is yours and you are Christ's and Christ is God's"I Cor 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; I Cor 3:22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or
Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; I Cor 3:23 And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s. I occupied again the platform of Mrs Eddy's teaching, which I do always either directly or indirectly, for it would be imprudent to feed babes on strong meatHeb 5:11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. . The elder in speaking of the discourse that he would stand between me and all reproach on the position. Yet it was this.

"Man is relatively infinite as he is in the image of God, who is absolutely infinite. and as the child to the father now reaching toward the aAbsolute. That, being infinite his possessions are necessarily so. But to be so they are heavenly not earthly, unseen not seen, ideal and not material. That the ideal is the real and that the material is the shadow and nothingness of a vain dream & delusion of sense that must pay the penalty of its falsehood and is ever paying it in its own destruction. That I possess nothing that I have not in mind, through Love and Truth and (immortal) Life. That man possesses only as he loves. That the universe is mine through sympathy and so is its yours. It increases forever with my unfolding to the Light of the Infinite and Self Existent. I. Am - That all we own here is that which is imperishable in thought. The Kingdom of Heaven is not meat and drink but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit &cRom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

On this strain through many an argument and illustration I moved and my audience with me. In th [?] Unclear or illegible e morning I had denied the reality of error, sheowing demons to be but beliefs as in "delirium tremens and illustrating by the use of drugs, allopathically and homeopathically and the changes in pathology and materia medica with the growth of intelligence. Yet no objection was offered to it. And while I thought that my resignation [?] Unclear or illegible  should necessarily be offered, because that I must teach these things and many in my congregation might not be willing to accept them. I am assured that I can act on my convictions and teach what I understand and if thany do not see as I do they can only reject for themselves if I can prove my teachings th [?] Unclear or illegible at ends it.

But again, while this is all favorable, Boston is a larger field and I could do more good perhaps, I have not a doubt of that, but would it be right to leave this church just in the condition they are in now. I confess it would be disastrous. Now the elder agreed to my going to BostonEditorial Note: Boston, Massachusetts and going through class, and then postpone my resignation if necessary to such time as they could go on. I must go through class, but I cannot accept the proposal you make, notwithstanding I appreciate it highly. I think I can sell my Encyclopadia Corrected: Encyclopedia for $100.Editorial Note: $100.00 in 1886 is the equivalent of $2,882.66 in 2021. and that it will pay my expenses. I say now, my lot is cast in favor of Christian Science but I do not think it would be right to sacrifice this church under all the circumstances I shall not be spared any of the slanders of the narrow hearts in the denomination in the end but if I can in the meantime be preparing these people for the reception of higher wTruth, while saving the congregation, it is worth staying for. I know I am working for a small salary, but money is nothing to me. If I could have been influenced by money I should have been elsewhere. That I recognize C–S–Expanded:Christian Science as the highest teaching on Christianity is true and that my heart is in the causeEditorial Note: The cause of Christian Science. is also true and if I had but my own interest to consult in taking this step I say as I have said before it would have been taken long since. My wife now says plainly she is willing to go with me, and while she said so before the happy conclusion was reached yesterday, that if I must go, she would follow and do her best, but that she did not think it right to cripple these people in their efforts while we ought to be trying to help them. That for herself she did not care, that she would stand by me, notwithstanding she knew it would almost kill her mother, whose pride was in the "Reformation" as she had labored [?] Unclear or illegible  in it from girlhood, and as she hoped such great things for me in the ministry. Now she is perfictly Corrected: perfectly reconciled to my going to Boston and going through class and then if I still see it my duty to go to Boston to labor [?] Unclear or illegible  by that time this church may be prepared for the step.

Now suffice it to say that I think I could do more there than here, but for the present I could not be justified after the liberty is given me to preach my convictions, in leaving them without a minister in view and they are just opening to a year's work. I reallize Corrected: realize theoretical Christianity is nothing compared with practical as you have it. I therefore shall strive as soon as possible to enter class and at the earliest convenience on being shewn Corrected: shown the demonstration, join you.

If I can succeed in bringing our elder who is also a preacher while he has retired from the ministry, into the new light and already he seems to see it he will be a power. He is a man of principle. He founded and sustained this church for years without compensation, laboring with his o [?] Unclear or illegible wn hands. And while he has encountered vile opposition in his work both in private and public as a temperance lecturer no man stands in N. Western Ohio with him. He has carried the banner of Prohibition and at great sacrifice and I hope may yet carry the banner of C. ScienceExpanded:Christian Science. But for a certainty I have won a hero to the CauseEditorial Note: The cause of Christian Science. already.

There is a young man here who is a teacher in the public schools. He was born in Germany and while he is but 19 years of age and has been in the U.S— but five years he has a beautiful eEnglish speech. In all he is one of the most remarkable intellects I have ever known, with a pure heart. Desiring to study with me. I soon found that he was congenial. I presented some of the truths of scienceEditorial Note: Christian Science and he grasped them at once. Last Saturday he opened his heart to me, while I was teaching him, With tears in his eyes he told me he wanted to be a preacher that he felt that it was his duty. That he had long since outgrouwn the Lutheran dogmas in which he was reared, that he accepted as far as he had heard this position which shewed Corrected: showed science to be positive and that he wanted to learn it. I told him of my intention to go to Boston to learn more fully and that while I taught this theory from the pulpit, being bound to no creed of doctrine I must also teach its practice, and that while now I would give him Mrs Eddy's works to read, and instruct him in the bible, I would open the way for him to go through class. He has been offered the highest place in the school next year as superintendant but if the way can be plain to him he will not accept. He is sure and as a preacher and a lecturer he will be a great power. "God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to performEditorial Note: These words are from a hymn of six verses, written in 1773 by William Cowper (1731-1800)..

If the last of April would do it would suit me better to go perhaps than the first. I understood that Mrs Eddy would open a class in this month I cannot attend that but will by the favor of God be in her next.

Hoping to hear from you soon I am