Editorials

On page 14 of "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" Mary Baker Eddy, speaking of the results which would accrue from the "love currency" that was contributed to the building of The Mother Church, says they will be seen to be "not a madness and nothing, but a sanity and something from the individual, stupendous, Godlike agency of man. " A dictionary definition of "agency" is "action; instrumentality," and "agent" is defined as "a moving force.

Christ Jesus , that world-enlightening character whose life and teachings continue to exert an increasingly mighty influence on the thoughts of men, said of himself, "I am the Son of God" ( Matt. 27:43 ).

" Happy Christmas!" Soon this cheery greeting will again ring out through all the Christian world, bringing its perennial message of hope and courage to men of good will. Yet how often does one hear some such plaint as this: "How I dread the oncoming holidays! Christmas holds no joy for me any more.

THE simple fact that throughout human history men have increasingly desired, often fought and died for, and progressively gained freedom from political, religious, economic, and social oppression shows that to enlightened thought freedom is regarded as being as basic to man as is life. Freedom inheres in Mind, God, man's only real Life.

TRUTH is. The exact truth about God and man, cause and effect, exists.

WHAT a helpful possession is the ability rightly to appraise and appreciate the worth and work of one's fellows! In his famous tribute to the virtues of chaste, industrious womanhood, King Lemuel, in the book of Proverbs ( 31:31 ) says, "Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. " Can Christian Scientists be accused of deifying their Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, when they thank God for the purity and selflessness of her life, and express gratitude for the blessings her work has brought to mankind? In fact, do they truly understand the message of Christian Science until they recognize the fact that its Discoverer and Founder walked and talked with God, and voice their thankfulness therefor? Christ Jesus did not seek personal homage from his disciples, but he did stress their acceptance of his words and work as evidence that he was a teacher divinely authorized and endowed.

Who can define the mission of our periodicals so clearly and definitely as she under whose inspired wisdom they were founded—Mary Baker Eddy—our beloved Leader, the humble and intrepid follower of our Master, Christ Jesus? On page 353 of "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany," Mrs. Eddy says: "I have given the name to all the Christian Science periodicals.

When an electric light bulb is screwed into its socket and receives the electric current, it instantly radiates light in all directions. When the individual, through understanding prayer, realizes something of the living oneness of man with the All-God, his Truth-enlightened thought reaches far and wide, improving human consciousness.

Has not the thought of mountains ever been attractive to humankind? Hardy climbers, fired with the urge of adventure, view a rugged peak as a challenge to their bodily and mental vigor. Poet and psalmist sing of lifting one's eyes to the hills, and Israel's prophets, throughout the Old Testament, frequently use the figure of mountains in their exhortations to mortals to leave the plains and valleys of materialism for the higher altitudes of spiritual sense.

An inquirer, impressed by the teaching of Christian Science that in reality there is no material sensation, once posed the question: "How does Mrs. Eddy know that she has read and studied correctly, if one must deny the evidences of the senses? She had to use her eyes to read.