The teaching of Christian Science makes unity of thought with us, as a people, unqualifiedly essential, if we desire success in overcoming even the uneducated forces of mortal mind. There should be the bond of union and sympathy between us that comes from the spiritual sense of our oneness in Christ—a practical Christianity, wherein the Spirit should supersede the letter, and technicalities should give place to the demonstrable.
A veneering of Christianity does not make a man a Christian. Nay, if he is not honest in his profession, it makes him a greater villain. Our motives need looking after, not by each for others, but by each for himself; and we must be positive that the objective point is Truth. If our own motives are pure, then we shall be better able to discuss the worthiness of others, as is sometimes necessary; but we can not sit in cool judgment upon any, and should extend helpful thoughts to all.
We should have charity,—not the charity that covers sin, but that which gives the brother or sister a chance to work out his or her salvation. If we remembered the command of our Master, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone," we should have, perhaps, a greater disgust for error, beginning with that in our own thought, and so become more deserving of the appellation, Christian Scientist. The demand upon us as individuals, to meet every emergency with courage and patience, was never greater than now. The difficulties that beset us seem many; but if we are faithful, we have much to hope for in the result. At times, apparent obstacles block the way, and the dark sea of tribulation seems ready to engulf us. Trust and faith in infinite Love must sustain us, until we realize in some small degree that we can not be swamped in the dark morass of doubt and fear, which tempts us to swerve from our allegiance to Divine Principle.
Our finite sense of Deity has been destroyed; but, in its place, we have the understanding that God is omnipresent and omnipotent Intelligence. While we no longer pray to a Father who beholds evil, and permits its every detail, we should pray constantly to the One Mind, the One Creator, who never made or beheld sin or suffering. We should pray to realize Truth; for "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law." We need to pray with such united earnestness, that there will be nothing felt lacking in our households or our public services. The Muezzin-bell of the Mohammedan should ring in our thought, summoning us to communion with our Father, at such frequent intervals that its effect will be felt throughout the community at large. We are told to pray unceasingly, and to watch and pray. We talk, probably, better than we perform; yet we must keep on talking, and yet strive to do just right.
When I compare the teachings of Science and Health with what I demonstrate of them, the result is humiliating; and when I think how little I have wrought, when I should have accomplished so much, there comes a sense of despair, and a feeling that it is useless to strive against the seeming potency of mortal mind. When I turn away from the small results of my own efforts, to those accomplished by our Teacher, and by the united efforts of the students, the omnipotence of Truth expresses consolation and good-cheer, even in the darkest hours; and it is a comfort to me that there is no sense of loss or woe in the Mind that is Love, and that is All-in-all.
In striving to enter into the understanding of Christian Science we have to equally strive to leave error behind. We can not carry that along with us, and yet gain in Truth. Conservatism in thought would only result in weakness for us, and a lack of success in the right direction in all we undertake. A conviction of Truth will separate us from the world, yet we owe a duty to humanity, and we cling to the human sense still.
We have set our light upon a hill, or should do so. Boldly and openly should we espouse the cause of Christian Science. Our faith should be known of all men, and our faith should be proven by our works. Results must prove what the Cause is to us. If we are cold and hard toward each other, and more watchful for faults than virtues, then we shall merit the condemnation that we shall surely receive. I have found greater love and greater willingness to bear other's burdens among Christian Scientists than anywhere else. The love and tenderness that have been shown me in my hours of need I shall never forget.
We are brothers and sisters in Christ, and we are children of one Father. Jesus answered the question, "Who is my brother?" in the parable of the Good Samaritan. A brother is anyone who needs our assistance; but we are all necessary to each other, and to unify the complete whole. Paul said, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ;" but he immediately after said, "for every man shall bear his own burden." I know that you can not do my work for me; neither can I do yours; but I can, you can, we all can strive to do right in the understanding of Divine Science, and so help each other on the upward way. We should have unity of thought and action, and each feel a responsibility in sustaining all measures that advance the Cause.
Personal aggrandizement or distinction should have no home in our thoughts. It should not be a strife for place or position with us, for the place and position of each is unassailable in Mind, and can never be taken from us or usurped by another. Neither can we claim another's prerogative and make it our own.
We are not scrambling for wealth or fame. In making a profession of Christian Science, there is great danger of our placing a commercial value upon Christianity, making it a mercantile commodity, forgetting that there is neither buying nor selling in Mind. The tribute exacted by Truth is the giving up the things of the world, not in amassing them. To become famous in the annals of Christianity means to drink the very dregs of the cup of martyrdom, to give up everything for Truth's sake.
There should be no waiting for a more convenient season in which to invest ourselves with the armor of Truth. We should don it now, lest the opportunity slip by and we lose it.
The claims of error surround us. Shall we sit with folded hands, and behold it organize and extend its domains? Rival factions arise, and are flooding the country with their pamphlets, magazines, and other literature. How do we meet them? Do we see to it that Science and Health is presented to the people as the only true exposition of the teachings of our Master? Do we meet the thought that it shall be read fairly, and that good results shall follow that reading? Do we urge cultured Christian people to take it up, and realize its perfect teaching, and so be quickened into greater spiritual growth? We should see that everybody possesses a copy, and not believe anyone not ready for it.
Again, there is our magazine, the Christian Science Journal,—the only Christian Science periodical published. What are we doing for that? Do we see that it is circulated and appreciated, or do we let our thought go out to work against it? If we are holding it as too high in price, or too harsh in sentiment, we are doing more harm than all outside influence confined can do against it; for we govern their sentiments, and the cry on all sides will be: "The price is too much; it is unchristian in sentiment." Then the circulation is affected, and Truth is withheld from the people thereby. Nay, worse than that,—rampant, active error, gets in with its spurious literature, and humanity is defrauded of truth. The people are waiting and anxious for something better, and they greedily seize upon that which first presents itself.
If the subject-matter of the Journal is not of desirable quality, the fault lies assuredly with those who criticize, but never think of furnishing articles for its columns. Certainly a duty devolves upon every Christian Scientist. Among us there are many who could write able articles, and furnish occasionally, if not monthly, something which would help many a reader. The excuses given by those who can, and do not, are many. The chief reason given is lack of time. That is truly a Scientific statement; but we have eternity wherein to express Truth, and we should begin now. Another has no literary training,—can talk, but can not write. Webster's Unabridged gives a vocabulary of seventy-five-thousand words, of which, a public schoolteacher states, sixty-thousand are useless. Shakespeare, who has the richest vocabulary used by any Englishman, employed only sixteen thousand words, and Milton used but eight thousand. It is said that graduates of our great universities rarely use more than three or four thousand. We can employ the same words in writing that we do in speaking.
The language of Soul is not the language of sense; but we use that with which we are most conversant. Probably the majority of us feel unable to express our best thoughts. There should be no hesitancy, however, in our doing the very best of which we are capable. Our standard of perfection is so high that our efforts are very unsatisfactory to ourselves; but presented to those who have not attained so much, it is of incalculable value. It is not absolutely necessary to be a Doctor of Philology, in order to write for the magazine.
We need united effort here. The Journal belongs to us all, and we should aid it with contributions and subscriptions. There are many of us, and we could do much; but one, two, or three can not do everything for a body of people. We are members of the same body; and if discord affects any, it affects the whole, and has a paralyzing influence over the work.
Then there is our Church-work. Do we take an active interest in it? What is there more important than that? If I did not know this to be the true religion for man, I would have nothing to do with it at all; but knowing that, my faithfulness is a question of duty between God and myself; and I am wronging humanity if I do not show men that I know Christian Science to be absolute Truth, and so support the church by Sunday attendance and financially.
Then there is one who "has preached the Word, who has been instant in season and out of season, who has reproved, rebuked, and exhorted, with all long-suffering and doctrine,"— our Teacher! Do we follow her as far as we understand the way? Have we not been afraid to behold Truth for ourselves, thus echoing the old cowardly sentiment, if not the cry of the Israelites, "Let me not behold God, lest I die?" We have apotheosized her, and left her too much to struggle against the error alone, forgetting that while she works for us in the human sense, she, too, has human needs, and that we should assist her by efforts in the right direction in sustaining the Cause, which is all she ever expects or demands of any.
We need to be governed by a higher motive than expediency, and the hour demands of us that we sustain our Leader and follow her directions, as far as we understand the way; that we love one another, and in unity work together, against the presumptive claim of mortal mind, and allow no factional feeling to arise in our midst; that we see that our literature is widely disseminated, and that our church blossoms like the Rose of Sharon, sending its aroma into the remotest wilderness of the globe. "Let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
