When a man pours gasoline on himself and lights a match to it for the purpose of promoting a cause, we may be shocked. If we disagree with the cause, we may be disgusted. And even if we agree with what he is trying to say, we may feel that he has carried his fight too far. But regardless of our opinions, such an act should startle us and cause us to examine our own devotion to whatever we believe in and to ask ourselves, honestly, how much our Cause means to us.
As Christian Scientists, we have a Cause —the salvation of mankind from sin, disease, and death through the application and demonstration of the law of God. It is evident that in establishing her religion and founding her church, Mrs. Eddy expected this goal to be achieved by the devotion of Christian Scientists to the Cause. In the opening paragraph of the first chapter of Science and Health, we find these words: "Prayer, watching, and working, combined with self-immolation, are God's gracious means for accomplishing whatever has been successfully done for the Christianization and health of mankind."Science and Health, p. 1;
Those of us who are active Christian Scientists pray, watch, and work daily. But what about self-immolation? Webster defines it as, "A deliberate and willing sacrifice of oneself." Christ Jesus said, "He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."Matt. 10:39; And Christian Science has explained that what one loses when sacrificing his false sense of self for the Christ, Truth, is not one's immortal life but the belief that life is material. But this does not make self-immolation less imperative or less of a sacrifice.
