TRULY it may be said that we are concerned with our neighbor more broadly, more universally, now than ever before in human history. From the struggling masses of industrialism and immigration, back of this humanitarian movement and that, there gleams the invincible ideal of brotherhood; and despite the seeming clash of national will on will, and the Babel of materialism, the rallying trumpet call of a mighty social compunction is calling as never before, Men and brethren, what shall we do? In all this challenge of change, crumbling convictions, newly dawning certainties, we are fast learning that we cannot keep the great Christian second commandment if it is severed from the first. Many earnest workers for the public weal have come to echo with the Apostle Paul, "All the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;" but the one way to that love must be discerned and followed.
On page 104 of "Miscellaneous Writings" Mrs. Eddy asks the great question over which the ages have pondered, "How shall we reach our true selves?" And she answers it with a simple revelation that has brought the joy of salvation to countless and divers groups of men and women all over the world. "Through Love," she declares. And then she goes on to say: "The Principle of Christian Science is Love, and its idea represents Love. This divine Principle and idea are demonstrated, in healing, to be God and the real man." Thus Christian Science teaches that only by proofs of divine Love can we find God and the real man. Merely to hold love as a creed will not redeem. The command states clearly, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." The Master also said that if any man would follow him he must deny self. The matchless unity of all the Nazarene's words and works precludes any inconsistency in these two precepts. How imperative it becomes, then, to know the true spiritual self which we are to love, that we may cast out every claim of the false self which we are to deny. Christian Science shows us the way.
It has been said that the greatest tragedies arise from a conflict of loyalties. The high mission of Christian Science is unflinchingly to maintain and clearly to teach that the original basic confusion and conflict of loyalties—that which has led to all others—lies right here, in the decision of what constitutes true selfhood. The reality of self must be looked for and found in God, Spirit, and there only; and this admits of no conflict of loyalties, but demands sole allegiance to this spiritual self. In this way, the Christ-way, will be overcome the many tragedies which arise in the conflict of loyalties to Spirit and flesh, to God and mammon.
