"Our weary years of wandering o'er,
We greet with joy this radiant shore;
The promised land of liberty,
The dawn of freedom's morn we see.
O promised land, we enter in,
With 'peace on earth, good will to men,'
The 'Golden age' now comes again,
And breaking every bond and chain;
While every sect, and race and clime,
Shall equal share in this glad time."
--_E. B. Harbert._
Mrs. Hayden immediately sent a few words to her husband informing him of
her safe arrival, but said nothing concerning her plans until later in
the week, she wrote:
"I attended a reception last night that gave me a good idea of the great
interest manifested in this new subject by people from all parts of the
country as well as this great city. Many who have been attending a
convention of truth seekers this week were there, and I met, among
others, Mrs. Harmon. She is lovely, with such a sweet pleasant face and
clear mild eyes. I do not wonder Miss Greening was charmed with her. We
had quite a chat about mental healing. She gave me an interesting
account of how she came into the work and what she is doing. I also met
many others. One thing noticeable about these people that seems
peculiarly characteristic, was the bright, happy faces so full of repose
and trustfulness contrasted with the dull, sluggish care-worn
expression of people in general. It really rests and cheers wonderfully
to look upon countenances that carry the gospel of healing with them.
"After a pleasant social time, Mrs. Pearl, in whose honor the reception
was given, was called upon for an address, the substance of which is
about as follows:
"It is an unexpected pleasure as well as privilege to thus meet face to
face so large a body of people who are working or desire to work for the
uplifting and healing of humanity by this new yet old Christ-method.
"While there are so many thousands of the world's best workers engaged
in lifting the burdens of sickness, sorrow and sin, there are none who
accomplish more marvelous or speedy results than Christian healers.
Indeed they have already demonstrated this philosophy to be a most
powerful means of reclaiming the sinful and adjusting social relations
as well as healing the sick.
"It already promises a better method of dealing with intemperance than
that of any other class of reformers. Why? Not because earnest, devoted
women do not give time, labor and hearts' blood to the temperance cause;
not because wise, honest men are not doing their best with tongue and
pen, in legislative halls and political conventions, but because neither
women nor men have learned the true principle of moral reform.
"The wise mother knows that the best way to keep her child from mischief
is not to talk about his temptation but cause him to forget it by
thinking of other and better things. She encourages him to do better by
recognizing his higher nature and showing him a better way. She
'overcomes the evil with the good.' Thus his moral nature gradually
gains ascendency over the lower. This, and this only is the true reform;
but the same mother fails to carry out the same principle with larger
children. She must learn that the same management which corrects and
improves the child will correct and improve the sinner, for a sinner is
only a child of larger growth.
"Thus far, the world has been most attracted to the healing of bodily
ills, and all discomforts of the flesh, but the material demand is only
a forerunner or symbol of the spiritual, and the signs of the times are
even now ready for the keenest readers. People are beginning to enquire
if this wonderful power for healing the body can not be used for the
healing of vicious minds, the curing of depraved appetites.
"Since religious teachings and ethical lectures seem to be so inadequate
to meet the crying need, why not try this new method which claims to be
a panacea for all ills, ask the moral philosophers.
"'The world moves slowly,' it is said, but the world awakes slowly, it
should be. We are ministering angels to one another, in our process of
awakening. If we have not enough realization of truth to keep ourselves
awake, some one comes along and wakes us up, by telling us more and we,
in turn, wake some slumbering neighbor.
"Invisible and silent are the workings of Truth, and none may judge what
best teaches the law. None may know what has given this or that insight
into a broader truth, but all at once some one has the new light, and
hastens to impart the knowledge.
"All effort for truth points to one end--Truth. All reforms, all
religions point to a higher standard of living, a clearer realization of
the highest and best, a broader vision of truth, a breaking away from
the false and a bringing about of the true.
"Mankind is conservative and must needs consider many things in many
ways. Old opinions are not easily relinquished because they are 'bone of
our bone and flesh of our flesh' and not till we awake to spiritual as
well as intellectual knowledge, shall we realize that we are free--free
to listen, learn and live.
"As in the history of every reform, we find opposition and persecution
facing the Christian healers, but as time goes on, even the unbelieving
and conservative shall be brought to a knowledge of the truth. Many
things unaccepted and unestablished to-day shall be proverbial
platitudes of to-morrow.
"We who have a clearer vision of the better way, who are demonstrating
our position with such wondrous signs, must realize more and more the
importance of the first and only law--the law of love. Judge not. Be a
unit in Truth.
"We come together as many, but should go away as one. We now have
thousands of Christian healers all over the country who are striving as
never before to live a higher life, to work for humanity according to
the Master's teachings, and it becomes us, as true disciples of such a
leader to so live that we shall see the fulfillment of that blessed
promise: 'Greater works than I, shall ye do.'
"Let us recognize the use and beauty of unity. Let us be as one, and
then, like the brave and faithful Joshua, we shall be able to break down
the walls of any Jericho.
"Christ followers, truth seekers, friends! Make use of the golden
privileges of to-day, use every moment for the furtherance of good, make
every silent thought or uttered word a stream of influence that shall
cause the desert to blossom like the rose. Send your thoughts out to the
grand reformers, the women workers and the men workers, the tired
mothers and the anxious fathers, the faithful teachers and the innocent
children. Sow the seed diligently, no matter what the soil. Never mind
the coldness, the indifference, the slighting disparagements, for
bye-and-bye will come the harvest. Do in all ways as you would be done
by.
'Thou must be true thyself if thou the truth wouldst teach,
Thy soul must overflow with truth, the true results to reach.'"