Christianity is not something vague and historical, a tradition out of the past. The evidences of Christianity are not arguments set forth by a professor of apologeties. Christianity as evidenced is a distinct expression of mental activity. In brief, when men are actuated in thought and demonstration by divine Love, which is that same Mind "which was also in Christ Jesus," they express Christianity. Now the new command to his disciples wherein Christ Jesus set forth his own example was as follows: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." Obedience to this commandment is liberty, because thereby restraint and constraint are removed, bonds are broken, and the slave is made free.
Nothing but Christianity has maintained liberty in the world. Men have fought for political liberty, and struggled to be free from domination of many masters, only to be subjected more miserably to their own passions, being mastered by undestroyed evil within. Mrs. Eddy makes this very clear in her statement (Science and Health, p. 225): "The despotic tendencies, inherent in mortal mind and always germinating in new forms of tyranny, must be rooted out through the action of the divine Mind."
Men of intellectual pride in past times have said that Christianity was a religion for slaves. But in seriousness let us ask if the Christian slave in some first century household was not the freeman, and his war lord, despiser of Christianity, though master of many slaves the real bondman. First of all, the pagan was in captivity to superstition, and that is relentlessly cruel. Next, he was in subjection to customs meaningless, but also merciless. Lastly, he was the slave of pride, anger, vainglory, revenge, a bondslave also of passion, habit, and desires leading to degradation and death. The emperor in his purple robe was subjugated by his evil thoughts, and he and his evil-thinking companions were "slave-yoked" together. But with the Christian it was as if innocence and brotherly love became wings whereby he could soar into the peace and freedom of heavenly thinking.
