When Jesus said of himself as a true guide and shepherd, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture," he assured his followers of safety, sustenance, and freedom.
What else could the door be but the Christ-example, if he was to reveal to men the way of entering into a new mode of life? Those who had a differing theory, like the Pharisees, he spoke of as thieves and robbers, climbing up "some other way." They, on their part, strove to annul the good example and to destroy the Exemplar. By forms, ritual, and ceremonies, they expected to climb over the wall—to take the kingdom of heaven by force and win entry by self-righteousness, and so avoid entering by the door of humility and sonship with God. No wonder the Master likened them to whitewashed sepulchers in which no life dwelt. What characterized these teachers of the law in their contest with the exponent of the gospel was a cold arrogance with the people, whereas the multitudes came to Jesus for kindness and healing. The record says that after Jesus overcame the temptations in the wilderness "there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judæa, and from beyond Jordan." Such evidences of interest on the part of the people no doubt aroused controversy on the part of the ecclesiastical powers, and their opinion of a popular group was expressed in the words, "This people who knoweth not the law are cursed."
Out of many years of experience, the writer is ready to confirm the conviction that there is more influence for good, more liberation and guidance, in a single Bible Lesson, studied in the Christian Science Quarterly by tens of thousands for the week and read with understanding on Sunday, than in all the writings of theorists and skeptics regarding Christian Science and its Founder. A multitude of actual workers have seen and known cases of reform or renewal innumerable, and on the basis of things which actually happen, can affirm universal hope for humanity's welfare through Christian Science. What it has done, it will continue to do, revealing safety, sustenance, and freedom.
