Many theatergoers in England and America have seen that well-known play, "The Importance of Being Earnest." Although written more than fifty years ago, it still finds a place in the repertories of discriminating stage folk. May we here alter this title slightly and discuss a question of vital import to every student of Christian Science? It is this: The Importance of Being Honest. In the chapter "Teaching Christian Science" in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 446) our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, writes: "Good must dominate in the thoughts of the healer, or his demonstration is protracted, dangerous, and impossible in Science. A wrong motive involves defeat. In the Science of Mind-healing, it is imperative to be honest, for victory rests on the side of immutable right."
That this statement is a self-evident truism is beyond debate. When one realizes that God, eternal Truth, is the divine Principle of Christian Science and when it is to Principle, Truth, that one turns for healing, one sees that a successful demonstration cannot be hoped for if healer and patient are not striving for absolute honesty.
Suppose a Christian Scientist is endeavoring to heal an individual of a bodily discord and in the course of the treatment discovers that the patient has not a reputation in the community for probity and good citizenship. When this is brought up for discussion, suppose the patient retorts: "Don't concern yourself with my morals. Let us get on with the physical healing." Is it likely that the power of Truth will be manifested here?
Suppose again that when the Scientist has uncovered some little fox of dishonesty or lack of adherence to Principle in the thought of his patient, he refuses to deal with a similar undestroyed error in his own thinking. Is his mental windowpane a clean transparency through which the healing light of Truth may shine? Truly does our inspired Leader say, "In the Science of Mind-healing, it is imperative to be honest." Before the student of Christian Science approaches the thought of his patient, it is both Christian and scientific for him to examine his windowpane to make sure that no smut of dishonest or unloving thought remains to dim or obscure Truth's light. In the words of a hymn (Hymnal, No. 383),
Whatever dims thy sense of truth
Or stains thy purity,
Though light as breath of summer air,
O count it sin to thee.
Preserve the tablet of thy thoughts
From every blemish free,
For our Redeemer's holy faith
Its temple makes with thee.
On page 115 of Science and Health, under the marginal heading "Transitional qualities," Mrs. Eddy lists honesty with such Christian virtues as humanity, faith, and temperance. She shows the importance of noting well the unfolding of these heavenly qualities if thought would become spiritualized and true healing ensue. Is it not a good plan for a practitioner of Christian Science frequently to go over this list of transitional qualities and check his mental mercury, his spiritual progress and readiness for the sacred work of healing?
Does someone say at this point, "That's just the trouble; I do not feel that I am good enough to heal the sick"? Here we may ponder a very comforting statement from Science and Health (p. 448). We read, "Evil which obtains in the bodily senses, but which the heart condemns, has no foundation; but if evil is uncondemned, it is undenied and nurtured." Where is there a conscientious follower after truth who in his heart of hearts does not condemn any shortcomings, any undestroyed error which may lurk in his consciousness? If therefore one is not trying to ignore or whitewash some lingering erroneous belief, but is manfully facing up to and condemning it, and knowing that it belongs neither to a good God nor to His harmonious image, that error has received its deathblow. Because he has honestly striven to polish his own mental windowpane, he can with Christly consistency and humility proceed to turn the searchlight of divine Truth on the errors which claim to plague his patient.
A sad thing to contemplate is a so-called Christian Scientist at one moment piously declaring for a sufferer the healing power of divine Love and later on refusing to speak to a fellow church member! Is not the treatment of such a one likely to be but "sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal" (I Cor. 13:1)?
The importance of being honest is stressed by the whole code known as the Ten Commandments. Not alone do the commandments, "Thou shalt not steal" and "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour," deal with the question of honesty. If one has learned the meaning of real honesty—what it means to be honest toward God, Love, Principle, Mind—can he break the First Commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me"? If he says that he is sick, worthless, discouraged, is he honest toward God? Will he give power to matter's graven images if he strives to be honest with Spirit, and to know no substance but ever-present good?
Is there not something to think about in the story of the Sunday School pupil who was asked what it meant to take the name of the Lord in vain? He replied, "It means to give a Christian Science treatment without a demonstration." If one is honest with God, therefore, one must know that the Word of Truth ever goes forth with power and can know no failure. Being honest with God, one cannot but honor the Father and Mother of all, and also render righteous affection to earthly parents and fellow pilgrims. When the truth dawns that God is Love and Love is man's Life, an honest recognition thereof precludes the possibility of killing, physically or mentally. The sin of adultery hides under the cloak of dishonesty; and as for covetousness, who would covet if he honestly maintained in his heart the bounty, the affluence, of infinite good?
The underlying message of the Decalogue might be said to be this: Beware of the sin of dishonesty! And how shall this error be nullified except one glimpses the allness of Truth and man's eternal oneness therewith? Because of this precious unity, man cannot break away from Principle, cannot become dishonest, lawless, unprincipled. Dwelling in this consciousness, how often have students of Christian Science protected themselves and others from vicious shafts of mortal mind's lies! What an eminently scientific statement the Bard of Avon puts into the mouth of Brutus in the play "Julius Caesar":
There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats;
For I am arm'd so strong in honesty
That they pass by me as the idle wind,
Which I respect not.
What is there to fear if one's eyes are toward the light of Truth, if one is praying for genuine goodness, for that honesty which Mrs. Eddy describes as spiritual power? Hear her admonition in Science and Health (p. 453): "Teach your student that he must know himself before he can know others and minister to human needs. Honesty is spiritual power. Dishonesty is human weakness, which forfeits divine help. You uncover sin, not in order to injure, but in order to bless the corporeal man; and a right motive has its reward." And hear the triumphant declaration of the Apostle to the Gentiles (II Cor. 13:8), "We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth."
