In The Christian Science Monitor there appears each day a sketch of a sundial standing just inside the walls of an old-fashioned garden. The sketch with its caption "I Record only the Sunny Hours" is indicative of the subject matter immediately below it, for the incidents that are day by day related there are short records of kindly deeds—deeds of sacrifice, of Christian service, of unselfed love, of spontaneous courtesy, of loving consideration, in short, deeds which are fraught with Love's amenities. These sundial incidents are looked forward to and eagerly read by thousands of readers of the Monitor throughout the civilized world. That they are performing a distinct service there can be no doubt, for each one is a loving rebuke to self-interest and self-love.
Who can deny that our fellow men need to be shown more Christian courtesy and loving consideration? In the work-a-day world it would sometimes seem as though those two ennobling characteristics, courtesy and consideration, were accorded scant heed. The seedling of love, however, is implanted in the heart of every individual, although all too often it appears to be buried deep beneath an accumulation of unlovely characteristics; but through the understanding of God which Christian Science imparts, and of man's true relation to God, the debris may be cleared away and the seedling made to grow and blossom and bear rich fruit. The genuine Christian Scientist is never lacking in courtesy, for he is always considerate of others; furthermore, he continually strives to become still more loving, still more selfless. He knows that in the ratio of his progress in this endeavor he is able to demonstrate the power of divine Love in healing sickness and overcoming sin. Selfless love enables the Christian Scientist to rebuke sin without harming the sinner, and to become a channel for the outpouring of spiritual strength to the weary and heavy-laden.
The great wisdom which inspired Mary Baker Eddy in all her acts for promoting the Cause of Christian Science impelled her to have read on the first Sunday of each month, as a part of the church services throughout the world, Section 1 of Article VIII in the Manual of The Mother Church, designated "A Rule for Motives and Acts," one sentence from which reads as follows: "In Science, divine Love alone governs man; and a Christian Scientist reflects the sweet amenities of Love, in rebuking sin, in true brotherliness, charitableness, and forgiveness." How graciously expressed is this message which comes as a regular reminder of a Christian duty from one who herself so clearly reflected Love's amenities! Quite naturally it causes the earnest Christian Scientist to give much thought to the matter of rebuking sin. How often is sin rebuked as though it were a part of the individual who appears to be sinning!
