"The Christian Scientist has enlisted to lessen evil, disease, and death; and he will overcome them by understanding their nothingness and the allness of God, or good," writes Mrs. Eddy on page 450 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." What encouragement for all, in working out any problem that may come up for solution! But in order to lessen these errors by understanding the utter nothingness of evil and the allness of good, it is necessary for one to enlist, to become a genuinely active Christian Scientist.
According to a dictionary, to enlist is "to enroll, and bind oneself for service; to enter heartily into a cause." Enlisting in Christian Science work is voluntary, its motives being gratitude for good received, and the sincere desire to render loving service to all mankind, following the example of the Master, who said, "I am among you as he that serveth."
The only bonds which bind the student of Christian Science to serve, are love for God and man, as set forth in the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount, including the Lord's Prayer. Recognizing their importance, Mary Baker Eddy, the faithful follower of the Master, provided that they should be taught as "first lessons" in the Christian Science Sunday School (see Church Manual, Art. XX, Sect. 3). The only safe foundation to build upon is the Christ, Truth. Bonds of joyous service have also been provided by Mrs. Eddy in the six Tenets of Christian Science, found on page 497 of Science and Health. The truths set forth in the Tenets are to be lived, not merely believed in. This enables the student to reflect the qualities of God, and so prove his status as a Christian Scientist. Did not Jesus say, "By their fruits ye shall know them"?
