Much has been thought, spoken, and done concerning missions and missionaries. Nearly, if not quite all, the Christian churches carry on what they call missions with the aid of missionaries whom they employ, whereby their especial doctrines or denominational creeds are promulgated. All this is undoubtedly done with the desire to advance the good of the world and to carry to those who they feel need a Saviour the word of salvation from sin, as well as the hope of a future heaven. Many have sacrificed their all of earthly comfort and satisfaction in order to undertake this work.
The Christian Science church has sometimes been criticized because it has been supposed not to have any such department in its organization; and many times it has been asked, "Why is it that Christian Scientists never do any missionary work?" The fact is that possibly no other religious people consider the question of missions so seriously, or do more real missionary work than the Christian Scientists. While the manner of approach may be different from that of the other churches, the ardor and extent of effort may certainly be said to be equal, since there is no member of the Christian Science church who is not interested in some degree in working directly, through the demonstration of the Christ-mind, for the salvation of the world from both sin and disease.
No one is expected to enter into membership with the Christian Science church except as he consents to accept the positive individual mission of proving, in some measure, the power of the Christ to heal both the sick and the sinner. Indeed, he can consider himself an actively loyal member only as he accepts for his rule of practice Jesus' missionary proclamation to all his followers; namely, to "preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils."
