How can we best supply the world's desperate human needs? A recognized authority on population tells us that "currently, about 450 million enjoy affluence and abundance. Five to six times that number live in parsimony, scarcity, or serious shortage." George Borgstrom, Too Many (New York: Macmillan Co., 1969), pp. 325–326 ;
Individual Christian Scientists and their churches may give financial support to worthy charitable causes. The Mother Church is on record as having provided over ten million dollars for relief during World War II. The question is, To what extent should we contribute, when the Church of Christ, Scientist, needs funds to maintain in its own organization the activities that are to carry out its vital purpose of healing the world's beliefs in evil, limitation, and poverty?
In her Miscellaneous Writings Mrs. Eddy quotes an apt Talmudical apothegm: "The noblest charity is to prevent a man from accepting charity; and the best almsare to show and to enable a man to dispense with alms." Mis., p. ix; To this end thriving Churches of Christ, Scientist, are vital to humanity's salvation from all evil, including lack.
