THE command of the Master, "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment," is compulsory upon his followers, and especially upon Christian Scientists, who understand Mrs. Eddy's fundamental instruction in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 200), "The real man was, is, and ever shall be perfect."
The word "personal" implies a person's appearance, manners, speech, and the like, which are but outward forms or expression. To judge rightly is to behold the true individuality, irrespective of any seeming, as the image of God; and this must be done impartially and constantly. Such is the teaching of Christian Science,, founded upon the words and works of Jesus, who so unfailingly saw spiritual perfection that seeming imperfections vanished at his approach. One universal Father, whose love rests impartially upon all His creation, admits no discrimination in the realm of the real. We can with comfort and assurance quote the words of Malachi, "Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us?" Since this is true, there follows the natural query, "Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother?" Why, indeed, since all are, in reality, members of the same household, with the same goodly heritage! A realization of this fact makes one long to drop all personal comparisons and measure up to that standard of spiritual selfhood which indicates true sonship with God.
We have but one Way-shower, that is, Jesus the Christ, who not only set before us an unfailing example of right conduct, but taught that it could be practically followed and maintained by all. Note how undeviatingly he obeyed the commands of God, always submerging the human in the divine! The method involved was simple, and only a belief in the reality of an opposing power has made it seem difficult. God is good, and man is His likeness. Veritable man is, then, inevitably good, because he is the creation of God, good. A loving son naturally yields allegiance to his father and strives to emulate him in word and deed. This is but the normal tendency of an obedient son. The father leads, guides, and governs; the son looks up to him and gratefully seeks to follow the pattern set before him. In Truth, this ideal relationship is forever unbroken between God, the Father, and the real man, the well-beloved son—one and inseparable. Therefore the human habit of harmful criticism should cease. All of us have need to do better than we are doing in this respect, for models are much more desirable than unjust critics.
