We sometimes hear it asked why Christian Scientists in general do not identify themselves more actively with political and economic questions. Those who inquire concerning this assume in the first place that students of Christian Science are in this respect neglectful of the duties of citizenship, which would be a most unfortunate thing if the charge were true, but it is not. It may be said, however, that those who are healed in Christian Science no longer rely as formerly upon others' opinions, which are not solving satisfactorily the great problems of human experience.
Those who criticize Christian Scientists seem oblivious to the fact that the persons who have charge of public affairs are unable to deal with these questions in a manner which gives general satisfaction, although it ought to be assumed that they do their best under given conditions; and to ask Christian Scientists, who have only begun to look into the problems of human experience from a spiritual viewpoint, to bring about radical changes within a short time, would be both unreasonable and unwise. The Scientist finds constant employment for a considerable time in the effort to establish in his own consciousness the true understanding of the kingdom of God on earth, and in striving to understand its laws sufficiently to obey them; and his efforts along this line usually bring a great deal of humility and possible hesitation about forcing his changed views upon others, especially of responding to the varied demands which come from those who by no means agree with one another as to the best way in which to deal with the complex problems of modern civilization.
At this point it may be helpful to remember that after Jesus' great experience at the time of his baptism in the river Jordan, he had yet to go into the wilderness for a period of forty days, and there prove for himself that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. When a complete victory was gained over the tempter,—otherwise spoken of as the carnal mind,—he was ready to go forth into the world and heal the sick, give sight to the blind, uplift the sinful, feed the multitudes, and even raise the dead. At the same time we find that he refused to be drawn into the vexed questions of human rights and wrongs. In the twelfth chapter of Luke's gospel we are told that when some one asked him to interfere in such a problem, saying, "Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me," Jesus answered, "Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?" and he followed this with a general warning against covetousness, declaring that "a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."
