Articles

The words of Jesus, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me," have a new and significant meaning in the light of Christian Science. We understand that the admonition, "let him deny himself," does not mean simply that those who are endeavoring to follow the footsteps of Jesus shall deprive themselves of various things in order that others may have the benefit of them, but it points to the existence of a false self or supposititious mind in each human being, a self made up of a multitude of false beliefs about eternal verities, and every one of these beliefs must be denied, cast out, and the truth put in its place.

The really independent thinker has ceased to sneer at Christian Science. He may retain all his skepticism and his allegiance to sense appearances; he may continue to order his life and conduct after the most approved philosophy of the materialist; and he may at times even feel a sense of supreme pity for those worthy people who are taking their idealism into actual practice; but a tolerant respect has taken place to scorn.

The following experience of a friend of mine, which I will give in his own words, has suggested several thoughts to me that may prove helpful. "Recently while hunting with a party of friends through a very wild and desolate tropical swamp, I became separated from my companions.

A Friend said, "When first I came in contact with Christian Scientists I thought them very unsympathetic. They never asked about one's health, and when any one complained of pain or sorrow, they always tried to cheer him instead of sympathizing with him, and I am not yet quite sure that I like it.

The question confronting the thinking world to-day is, What and where is consciousness? Advanced thought no longer asks, What is matter? Matter is rapidly finding its correct solution, as simply a false sense of that which in reality is mental, and so the question ceases now to be in relation to matter as such, but assumes a more intelligent position and asks: What is mind or consciousness? It is not alone from the Christian Science standpoint that this statement is made, though were it made only from that standpoint it would still be none the less true, but doubtless less acceptable to the general public than when coming from what is termed the material scientist's viewpoint. From time to time in the past few years most excellent articles have been published in The Christian Science Journal, bearing specifically on the subject of matter's unreality, as promulgated by leading scientific men.

When Saul, the son of Kish, went out to hunt for cattle and found a kingdom, his experience was prototypical of what occurs to the most of us when we become adherents of Christian Science. The time came when we lost our trust in pertinacious plasters and unknowable pellets.

The proof of love is obedience, and he who loves will obey. "If ye love me, keep my commandments," was the simple yet supreme test to which Jesus would put his disciples.

To the suffering mortal who has gone so far in the process of salvation as to ask for help, Christian Science says, "No law of God causes misery. No law of Wisdom operates injuriously.

Although it seems natural to the human mind to accept its theology as a family inheritance, such a proceeding is none the less of doubtful value, if not dangerous, in that it binds one to a religious attitude grounded in sentiment and association, and not at all in individual reason or experience. Once pledged to a religious course and accustomed to its mental routine, the inertia of the human mind is appalling.

How familiar to us all is the phrase, "Working for the Cause"! Let us examine at close range this oft-voiced expression, heard so frequently among the followers of Christian Science. The Cause of Christian Science is self-evidently the Cause of Christ; the saving, healing, life-giving, Christ Emancipator.