It is right to demand reasonable recompense for faithful service. In the Scriptures we read that the "laborer is worthy his hire." No one has any right to ask service of his neighbor, rich or poor, without offering, to the extent of his ability, payment for the same. No true blessing follows benefits wrested from others unrewarded. And the reward must be commensurate in purpose and intent with the magnitude of the benefit conferred. The motive that backs the payment makes the payment,—not the apparent amount. "Freely ye have received, freely give," is often quoted to Christian healers, as a text advising them to give time and service to the world, regardless of the world's faith or gratitude. The text does mean that to its fullest extent; and it means also, that they who receive of the healing and teaching shall return with like generosity, values needful and commensurate, or take the consequence of disobedience. I have noticed in practice that selfish people, dishonest people, stingy people, are "slow cases." They come to Christian Science as a last resort. They declare they have spent so much money on matter-doctors they have nothing to spare for experiments. To be sure A, B, C, D, E, etc., etc., were healed by Christian Science, and they are obliged to believe somewhat in it, but they "don't propose to pay out any more money." When a young worker in the field, I took those cases and worked faithfully for them. But I never cured one of them. Why?
"There is no remission of sins without sacrifice."
Sickness is the result of sin, somewhere, somehow; there is no remission of it without sacrifice. What is the sacrifice moral law demands? A certain part of our choicest possessions. In the old days, when wealth consisted in flocks and herds, those were laid upon the altar with the prayers of the priests—and the people were healed of their infirmities. The god of this generation is money. It is the dumb idol erected in the secret chamber of every heart and home, before which every knee bows in self-forgetful worship. And only by so much as we sacrifice this false image, that stands between ourselves and the true God, can we expect the true God to remit the sins whose weight we carry in disease or deformity. I've seen this law so inexorably govern results that, when patients begin to haggle about money, I never insist upon their paying or not paying for their treatments, but tell them their conscience (or lack of conscience) may stand in the way of their recovery. And according to the measure of their confidence in the Truth, and their reasonable sacrifice, is the sure measure returned of health and happiness. This is not a new or man-made law: it is the old "as ye mete it shall be measured" law of Wisdom, who hath builded her eternal Eight, against which error shall not prevail.
