The Christian Scientist is generally a responsible citizen, a good neighbor, and an advocate of constructive activity. This is the logical outcome of his understanding and proving to a degree the absolute integrity of his true nature as the child of the heavenly Father. Mrs. Eddy in her teachings has made it quite clear that Christian Scientists will restrain crime. She says, "They will maintain law and order, and cheerfully await the certainty of ultimate perfection."Science and Health, p. 97; This is not an idealistic, unreasonable demand. It is an essentially practical requirement, and to the degree that the Scientist actively assumes this role, he helps to alleviate the vicious elements that would undermine our social structure.
In order to restrain crime and heal the ravages of lawlessness, it is well for the Scientist to consider how he is to be effectively obedient in this work. To accept the definition of God as undeviating Principle is to recognize that His entire creation is governed by divine law, which can neither be broken, subverted, nor evaded. Not one of Principle's ideas is ever lawless, violable, or unprincipled. Since the one Principle, God, is also the one Mind, there can be no criminal mentality, no mind to suggest evil, and no mind to accept evil suggestions. In the pure radiance of Soul there are no shadows in which criminal beliefs can lurk, nor is there in Truth's creation an underworld of vice.
These absolute facts, understood and demonstrated, must have their human appearing in the lessening of crime and the regeneration of criminals. It is the privilege of the Christian Scientist to pray consistently, affirming what error denies and denying what error affirms, cheerfully awaiting the fruitage which must certainly appear.
