CHRISTIAN SCIENCE gives not only a true understanding of spiritual law, but also an understanding of true obedience. Without the latter the former would not be of practical value to mortals.
In the seventh chapter of Luke's Gospel a very wonderful story is told of a right apprehension of authority, and of practical obedience thereto. A Roman centurion's servant, "who was dear unto him," was sick and lay a-dying. The centurion sent the elders of the Jews to Jesus to ask healing for the servant; and in his loving, quick response Jesus said, as recorded in Matthew, "I will come and heal him." When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent messengers to say, as Luke records: "Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou should-est enter under my roof: . . . but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it." We are told that Jesus marveled at the quality of this man's faith, and highly commended it. We are also told that the servant was healed in that same hour.
Those who were privileged to work with the soldiers during the World War remember well how receptive many of them were to healing through Christian Science. Through rigid discipline, a soldier is trained to think in terms of obedience. When the Roman centurion exacted obedience of his subordinates, he knew it was not that they should obey him, as an individual, but his word of command, which represented the authority of the Roman government. When a Roman soldier obeyed orders, he did so as to Cæsar's command. The words, "I also am a man set under authority," imply that this centurion of old recognized Jesus' obedience to divine authority. He saw represented in Jesus' word of command the omnipotent law of God—far greater than the power of a Cæsar—which could not but be obeyed.
