Read 1 John, 4th chapter.
Since taking up the study of the Bible in the light of Divine Science, the word Love has probably been upon our lips more frequently than at any previous time. And yet, how little do we understand this wonderful word that expresses all of God, and, as Paul said, the whole of the law of Spirit.
When we know what this Love is, and, as the result of knowing, live it, will not the world be revolutionized? We find no difficulty whatever in talking Love; but do we, even as Christian Scientists,—who, surely, of all people, after the instruction that has been ours, should demonstrate the divine law,—live it? Do we not theoretically understand that God is all, and consequently, Love is all, and the only power? Then why not live it? Simply because we are still in bondage to the elements of the world; and, because of our supposed higher understanding, are blinded to the fact that we, individually, are just as liable to fall into error, and be unconscious of it, as is our brother in Egypt.
"Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." And our stumbling may be upon this very word that is all in all to us, when we understand and live it. But perverted, it becomes indeed "a rock of offence." "And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder." And still we ask, how can one, living up to his highest understanding of God, or Love, fall thereon? Simply by believing that he is living up to his highest understanding when he is not.
Are we fulfilling all the law, "Love thy neighbor as thyself?" And yet, "He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?"
The first principle of Christian Science teaches that God is Love; also that "man is His image and likeness,"—the expression of divine Love. But how many of us are truly expressing this Love in the fullness of our understanding? And yet, each Scientist is aiming to bring to his own consciousness—and that of the world—God's spiritual idea. But this is never accomplished by simply declaring that God is Love, and man his perfect idea; but, rather, through living it. Do we really understand how to hold to this ideal? Is it simply by declaring it, and standing forever there? Surely declaration leads to demonstration; but if the demonstration does not follow in our individual experience, of what use is the declaration alone?
Remember, we are not considering anything outside of self. It is this very self that would hinder our advancement in more ways than we are aware of, simply because we are willing to stand on declaration, rather than demonstration. If we only realize that the time will come when we will each be called upon to demonstrate every declaration we have made since coming into the light, would we not be very careful how we express ourselves? If I am unwise enough to say to one having no knowledge whatever of Science,—or even one understanding it, for that matter,—that I can put my hand in the fire and not be burned, am I not placing myself where I shall be compelled to demonstrate my right to such a declaration, perhaps through intense suffering, and all the result of my uncalled for boast? We know no more than we have demonstrated. Would it not be far better to let Truth bear witness in a life corrected?
Can we not see the necessity of doing less talking and more acting? Let us make no vain boasts. And when we can really see that Truth is its own witness, we will not attempt it. Are we not, through our mistaken zeal, in danger of retarding the very growth we so eagerly desire? The motive is surely praiseworthy; but with our love for man and the Truth upon the plane it is to-day, we surely need common sense. Would it not be well for us all to remember that after Peter, James and John witnessed the transfiguration, they were obliged to come down from the mount, and in their after lives demonstrate the Truth they saw? And taking this lesson into our own consciousness, we can see that their experience must be ours, individually.
This Christ (Truth), as brought out in Christian Science, has taken us, in our thought, upon the mount of transfiguration, where we can discern "the spiritual idea of God." And still, we must descend to the valley of the material, and work our way up to the spiritual idea step by step. This is demonstration. On the way down from the mount, Jesus charged them to tell no man what things they had seen, "till the son of man is risen from the dead." Luke tells us, "They kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen." Neither should we boastfully declare what we cannot express in demonstration, "until the son of man is risen," to our sense, from his burial in matter to the right hand of the Father.
Surely "the way is straight and narrow." Yet all may know it, and prove the possibility of our demonstrating the Truth Jesus taught. As we believe it is founded upon a demonstrable Principle, let us live it in manifesting the love that is God, thus fulfilling the whole law: Loving our neighbor as ourself.
How am I to love my neighbor as myself? By trying to rise above the claims and testimony of material sense to a realization of the pure and perfect spiritual existence that is man's "God given heritage," the true brotherhood of man. But when we lose sight of this spiritual fact, through the testimony of the senses, we cannot expect or hope to establish the brotherhood of man, even in our own consciousness, and much less in the world. Our own human consciousness is to us the world. Our Master said: "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." To mortal sense the same world stands to day that he declared he had overcome. Surely we can understand that what he did overcome was his human consciousness of this world.
When we see one in error, having no understanding whatever of Science, we try not to allow ourselves to see this condition as a reality, and thus exonerate our brother in darkness, to our own consciousness, in the plea of his not understanding the Truth, thus not holding him so accountable for mistakes, as he would be, were he conscious of this Light and yet walked not in it; and because of this charity, do not hold him down in Egyptian darkness?
If we see a fellow-worker doing what seems to us not just in line with Truth, and we, knowing as we do that his salvation depends upon a clear mental atmosphere, hold him in that error by making a reality of this seeming, wondering why he does not overcome it, watching closely to see how he is coming out, is not our thought holding him down in the very darkness that we wish to see all rise above? We know that "God is no respecter of persons." If in one instance I can see this error separate from God's idea, thus holding to the oneness of Mind; but in another admitting that error is holding some one in some unaccountable manner, am I demonstrating this brotherhood of man of which I am so ready to talk? To make this even more clear: We know that we must, at all times and under all circumstances, see error as such, and separate it entirely in our thought from God's idea, giving it neither place nor power. In this way we can have charity for all who are seemingly held by error's claims. If faithful workers, would we not, upon its very first presentation, have earnestly striven to rise above it? Then do I love my neighbor as myself if I fail to destroy his seeming error in my own thought? We can clearly see that in order to fulfill the one law of Love we must have just as much charity for our brother in Science as for the brother who has not yet accepted it.
How earnestly we should strive to remember that all men are of the one spiritual household. And so long as we hold firmly and understandingly to this scientific declaration we cannot be blinded by the old mortal claim of "me and mine," for all are God's.
As we understand Love, we will demonstrate it in unity of thought and action. It is the very love to which Paul referred: "Bear ye one another's burden, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Immediately following, in the same chapter, he declares that each shall bear his own burden. We know that one cannot do another's demonstrating for him, but he need not add to his brother's burden, by wondering why he does not demonstrate over certain claims; why he does not advance more rapidly; let us, rather, bear our share of the burden, knowing that any claim we may see in another,—unless demonstrated over in our own thought,—is reflected, to our sense, in the brother we desire to see rising above every difficulty, but lift not our hand to speed him on his way Heavenward.
If sense tells us we cannot help another along, surely we need not hinder by making a reality of what we know has no origin in Truth. Then we must see clearly that duty—made plain through a high and unselfish sense of the Love that is God—will not admit of any distinction in the household of Spirit, for all are the children of one parent, governed and controlled by Principle—God. My demonstration of Love's power proves my position in Divine Science.
"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
