Editorials

Human suffering has long perplexed mankind. Why do individuals suffer? For what purpose? Can suffering be overcome? The theology of Christian Science challenges traditional religious and philosophical concepts of suffering.

A new year offers a wonderful opportunity to start living the millennium, or at least to take this concept of the earth under Christ's rule out of a framework of time, confusion, and fear producing superstition. The Second Epistle of Peter did more than assuage the disappointment of those early Christians who had thought none of them would die before Jesus personally returned.

Is Christmas simply the celebration of an event that happened two thousand years ago, which, though far-reaching in influence, may be no longer relevant? Or does it mark an epoch in fulfillment of salvation prophecy that John's Gospel describes as a consequent of God's love for the world? Christ Jesus, himself the central figure of the celebration, promised, ".

Outsiders sometimes misunderstand important points of Christian metaphysics. There may be occasions when we insiders also fail to grasp adequately those same points.

What can be said of coldness in the church, lack of caring, lack of spiritual affection? Do we rejoice spontaneously over the warmth and love we find in our church body? Or do we have cause for sadness? Our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, was outspoken on this subject after addressing a communion service in The Mother Church in 1896. With compassionate realism she wrote to friends, "I find the general atmosphere of my church as cold and still as the marble floors.

Current theories of medicine and biology define many of the physical difficulties associated with passing years as breakdowns in bodily functions. A material mentality argues that keeping fit may become increasingly difficult, that one's energy and vitality can no longer be consistently maintained.

A grain of mustard seed. At times we've perhaps not taken seriously enough just how much faith Christ Jesus recommended for moving mountains.

To pray effectively for our church we need to keep before our gaze, crystal-clear, what the church really is. Then Truth's spiritual standard will uncover the erroneous beliefs needing to be destroyed, and we will be enabled to deal conclusively with them through scientific prayer.

The first chapter of the Bible offers a breathtaking view of man as being the very likeness of God. Jesus, transforming this concept from theory to a practical ideal, said, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

So many events in life portray more than what appears on the surface. Turning in an assignment on the due date or keeping an appointment at the agreed time is important not only in itself but because it symbolizes something of major significance.