IN the problem of overcoming hatred, antipathy, resentment, or any one of the myriad forms of error, the first step of the Christian Science student is of course to obey the Scriptural injunction, "First cast out the beam out of thine own eye,"— to lay bare his own heart to the light of Truth, that any lurking error of envy, jealousy, egotism, self-righteousness, self-love, self-ignorance, etc., be not permitted to masquerade as a sense of error in his brother. He tries to realize with reference to himself, that because God is Love, man is loving, before he attempts to prove with reference to his brother, that because God is Love, man is lovable.
If, on the the other hand, the error is on the brother's part, if he has really attempted to injure one, perhaps maliciously, and also perhaps to human sense successfully, or if one is the constant victim of egotism, jealousy, selfishness, sarcasm, etc., the work of the student is to realize that the sin is no part of the individual through whom it is manifested, but is impersonal evil. The student must not, however, permit himself to forget that scientifically, actually, the truth can never be reversed, and that Truth is never less than true.
The subject of a professional hypnotist will do things wholly foreign to his own nature and reason, if he is foolish enough to yield to such a pernicious influence; but to the audience, or to friends, this behavior is in no sense the expression of the man's real individuality. In the same way sin is not the manifestation of any one's true consciousness or his real individuality, but it is the resultant activity of the mesmerism of a false belief that there is pleasure or profit in sin; of the belief of inherited traits, or of any other one of the myriad excuses which mortal mind has for sin.
We are not, therefore, called upon either to condemn or to love a sinner, but to realize that in God's kingdom, the realm of Truth, there is no sinner, and that the seeming sin is a lie about man. All that actually exists is the spiritual idea, the perfect man, who, as St. John says, "doth not commit sin: . . . and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." On page 476 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy says, "Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals." This man is sinless and wholly lovable. We should also remember that God's likeness is always beyond and above the mortal belief that life is existent in matter.
Many beautiful testimonies in The Christian Science Journal and Sentinel have borne witness to the healing of those in bondage to a sense of hatred and separation, through the steps already indicated, viz., honest, scientific self-analysis, and the spiritualization of one's concept of another; but sometimes even this may be insufficient. To cite a possible circumstance, the moment there is personal intercourse with the individual toward whom the student is striving to overcome a sense of hatred, the antecedent bitterness, contempt, and repulsion may come surging into consciousness, and apparently reverse all his mental work.
It is well then to question one's self squarely. What is it to love my neighbor? What is the test of love? What am I attempting and seemingly failing to do, that convinces me I do not love? The answers might come: "It is very unpleasant to me to attempt to be agreeable to this person." "It is even repulsive to me to manifest affection and unselfishness to this one; I feel insincere whenever I do any of these things." But are we not commanded in the Old Testament, and also by Jesus in the New, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself"? How do we as Christian Scientists love this self? Do we seek gratification for every whim and desire of self, or do we strive, though with untold agony it may be, to gain for self the one thing worth while, namely, spiritual growth?
If the condonation and indulgence of selfish traits and desires are steadfastly refused by us for ourselves, that we may avoid evil and obtain good, are we loving our brother as ourselves if we ignore his spiritual welfare and seek merely to please and to gratify him, even at the expense of his spiritual growth? Christian Science certainly calls for progress, therefore we may declare that God's will includes the spiritual growth of every one; hence, the way to be loving is to place ourselves entirely under God's direction, that the will of wisdom, Truth, and Love may be done for him whom we would love.
We may learn that to treat the erring individual tenderly and indulgently is the worst thing we could do for him, and this will explain the seeming reversal of our previous efforts. We may be called upon, not to condone our brother's sin, but to expose it; not to praise, but to rebuke; not to write a friendly letter, but to suspend all communication; in other words, to be just as well as merciful.
Why should we shrink from administering justice? Our Leader says, "Justice requires the reformation of the sinner" (Science and Health, p. 22); and is not this synonymous with the effectuation of the all-desired spiritual growth? Is not the tender, loving Father-Mother God the source of all justice as well as of mercy? Thus, is it not evident that to condone and indulge error in another is to deny him justice, retard his spiritual progress, deprive him (temporarily) of good? It surely is not to love him.
Let the student who is bidden by divine justice to administer a requisite rebuke, do so in deepest humility, compassion, and love, for he too is not without sin. That Mrs. Eddy fully appreciated "the mingled sternness and gentleness which permeate justice and Love" (Retrospection and Introspection, p. 80), and the importance of our realization of the coincidence of the demands of Love and justice, is perfectly evidenced, not only in her writings, but also in the careful provision she has made for the perpetual cognizance by Christian Scientists of this very fact, in the statement which is read in every Christian Science church on the first Sunday of each month, and which is found on page 40 of the Manual of The Mother Church.
This discussion of justice, with the attendant illustrations of some possible applications, is in no sense offered as a determinative outline, but rather to illustrate the danger of presuming to outline what shall be the manifestation of divine Love in human problems. It shows how antipodal may be the will of wisdom from the course of action demanded by the false standards of sentimental human thought; that one particular mode of conduct is not always the right one, nor is it the only God-inspired means or method. It may eventuate that the immediate effects of our obedience to the leadings of divine Mind do not prove acceptable to those who are obeying the false standards of family honor, friendship, obligation, etc., and it may therefore precipitate a storm of condemnation. Former friendships may not be renewed, but may seem to be forever dissolved, and perhaps even dearer ties may be broken because of it; but if our course is dictated by divine Principle, rather than by personal sense, we can safely leave the final outcome to divine wisdom.
What will be the result in human affairs, we cannot foretell, but a true Scientist will not fear. Mrs. Eddy's discussion of the birth of spiritual ideas (see Science and Health, p. 463) is especially reassuring to one passing through a problem of human relationship which seems beyond solution. We learn from it that when a. spiritual idea (in this case the true concept of Love) is born into the plane of human consciousness, it will unfold in accordance with spiritual law.
So, then, to return to the question, the test of love might better be stated: "Am I making it a matter of spiritual demonstration? Am I willing, without the slightest reservation, no matter what the seeming cost, to do whatever divine Mind designates, because I would love my brother as myself?" St. John says, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments."
