I'm , President of The Mother Church. We're going to discuss quite candidly today some of the public issues facing our Church—issues which really should be of concern to men and women everywhere. Over the past several years several Christian Scientists have been tried in court for their reliance on Christian Science healing. Public prosecutors have argued that Christian Science treatment is the same as doing nothing. It's apparent that faith in drugs as the only reliable healing agent has so pervaded society today that the power of Spirit is generally believed to be of little or no consequence. This brings to mind a serious question, a question our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, has posed, a question which really should be of concern to everyone who truly loves God. She says, "The question at issue with mankind is: Shall we have a spiritual Christianity and a spiritual healing, or a materialistic religion and a materia medica?" Miscellaneous Writings, p. 246
Society is going to have to face this issue squarely, whether it wants to or not. And we hope that our discussion today can help focus our attention on the contribution we can make, all of us, individually and collectively, to a proper resolution of this issue. And now to begin our discussion I'm going to talk with , Manager of Committees on Publication here at The Mother Church.
Nate, what is it that underlies the opposition to spiritual healing?
Mr. Talbot: Dave, you mentioned that society itself is going to have to face this issue squarely. I wonder, how do you figure out what's really important in society? I mean, if we were to look back at Jesus in his day, if people were to read a history of those times, what would they find—not in the Bible, just in a history? I suppose they'd find that the issues of the day were the military issues, the taxes, and so on, and a footnote about this man who did some healing work, who was crucified as a criminal, resurrected, and ascended.
Mr. Sleeper: I'm sure you're right. We don't normally think of it that way, those of us who are students of the Bible, do we?
Mr. Talbot: And what about today? What are the real issues today? I think people might look back on today and see the great issues, military issues and issues of taxes and so on. It takes some spiritual perceptiveness and real discernment to recognize what the true issues are today. And I think there are some very significant issues that all of us need to awaken to—not just Christian Scientists, but society as a whole. You made reference to the fact that we've had Christian Scientists who have been prosecuted for relying on God for healing. That's remarkable in a day and age in which we give lip service to God and our trust in Him. You know, we have one Christian Scientist couple who have been convicted of third-degree murder in this country because they have trusted God for their well-being and the well being of their family. Those are major issues, and they signify something that all of us need to be giving some very special thought to.
Mr. Sleeper: What would you say underlies this deep concern about spiritual healing? What is it beneath the surface that causes people to have questions about Christian Science healing itself?
Mr. Talbot: Dave, I think part of it is the radical stand that Christian Scientists take. It's very disturbing to society. You know, we take the stand that Spirit is omnipotent. Now, we say that with conviction, I know we believe it, but I don't know if we realize how much against the grain that goes in our society. When we talk about Spirit being all power, we're really disputing what most people believe. I mean, most people believe that matter is power, disease is power, drugs are power—and we're challenging that. I think that that has raised a reaction in human thought, and we need to be pretty serious about what it means for us to take that radical stand. We need to recognize the impact that has on society.
Mr. Sleeper: It's interesting that for years we've been relatively free to practice Christian Science healing and have done so with major success. Many Christian Scientists are wondering, Why now, all of a sudden, are we being challenged? What is it that has happened within these last few years that brings this challenge to the surface?
Mr. Talbot: Isn't part of it the healing work that has been going on? A huge amount of spiritual healing has taken place this last century, and, for a materialistic society, that has an impact and we're getting some reaction from it. I think we need to give more thought to how to deal with that reaction. To be quite honest with you, maybe Christian Scientists, all of us, have had to look more seriously at something Mrs. Eddy talks about in her writings called animal magnetism. In a phrase she's telling us about this whole belief that there's an opposition to God and His allness. We've got a lot to learn in facing more squarely, more intelligently, more thoughtfully, this reaction. You know, we wouldn't walk across a busy street with our eyes closed. And we can't afford to walk through these times with our eyes closed to the nature of this concept that there is an active opposition, opposed to the Comforter.
Mr. Sleeper: Speaking of these times, Mrs. Eddy makes it very clear that the leaven of Truth is at work. It's producing a chemicalization in human consciousness. We're seeing freedom break forth in various ways throughout the world now. And I wonder if all of this is not the result of the leaven of Truth, which is producing enough stir that society's being forced to face up to this issue of spiritual healing as an important element to society, not just to us.
Mr. Talbot: I do think, Dave, in our response we've got to be more discerning, more perceptive about the nature of mortal mind. You know, we all associate very naturally the Fourth of July with freedom, don't we? Mrs. Eddy gave some comments on the Fourth of July many years ago, and she talked about this freedom. But she issued a warning that we all need to take more seriously. See ibid., p. 177 She tells us some things that we really ought to be aware of. She speaks of organized efforts against Christian Science, and that's happening. She speaks about the malicious intent behind these efforts. She says, the "feeling and purpose" of these efforts "are deadly." We need to take that seriously—not be intimidated by that warning, but maybe we need to give closer thought to the two questions she raises after giving us this very stern warning. She says, "What will you do about it?" And then she says, "Will you be equally in earnest for the truth?"
Frankly, Dave, I don't think most Christian Scientists are aware of how earnest these opponents of spiritual healing are. Some of them come from a perspective of prosecution, some from a perspective of being ex-Christian Scientists, some from a fundamentalist perspective, others from a medical perspective, but, believe me, they are in earnest in being sure that spiritual healing is brought to a stop. Now, we can't afford to be intimidated by that. We need to be spiritually discerning; we need to recognize the nature of animal magnetism and deal with it spiritually.
Mr. Sleeper: Mrs. Eddy addressed herself to the individual Christian Scientist, which I think you are doing too. So on that basis what can the individual Christian Scientist do beyond simply reading the lesson or turning to prayer for healing for his own particular problems?
Mr. Talbot: I believe healing is the answer. That is our way of dealing with the claims of mortal mind. Because spiritual healing silences the belief that Spirit can be opposed. I mean, essentially, whether it's some minor issue we're dealing with or some world problem we're praying about, when we turn to God, when we rely on Spirit as being infinite, the only power, the only presence—we're challenging this whole belief that Spirit can be opposed. We need much more of that in our movement. We need to recognize the claims of mortal mind, face them squarely. It takes some courage, maybe some courage we're all going to have to muster that we haven't had enough of in the past, but it needs to be within the context of a huge amount of joy in the revelation that Christian Science brings. The fact that Spirit is all.
Mr. Sleeper: I've heard you say many times, in conversations I've had with you, that what's involved here is more than simply the right of Christian Scientists, but it's really the right of mankind to depend upon spiritual means, to learn to look to God for the answer to their needs.
Mr. Talbot: Yes.
Mr. Sleeper: In viewing our work in that context, really, what would our neighbors lose if we lost the right to depend on God for healing? Our non-Christian Scientist neighbors?
Mr. Talbot: Dave, they would lose everything. Now, they may not be showing that much interest in turning to God for healing, but every individual in his heart needs God; every individual needs the capacity to look to God at some point in his life. What if that alternative were no longer available? What if society prosecuted it right out of existence? What about our neighbors? What about our children? What about others that we care for?
I think that the reason that we all need to be stirred into action, that we need to be roused from any apathy about what's happening here, is that we care a lot about our fellowman. We're not just living for ourselves; we're living for every individual who has a right to turn to God, and we want to be sure that right isn't smothered by a materialistic view of where we can turn for help.
Mr. Sleeper: Do you have any counsel for Christian Scientists as to their response to the media? Sometimes the media can be very harsh, or very critical in their remarks, and very unfair.
Mr. Talbot: That has happened, Dave. We have been misrepresented sometimes in ways that make demands on us for the deepest kind of Christianity. I suppose if I had any advice it would be to express the patience, the forgiveness, the forbearance that Jesus taught, when the news media deal with Christian Science. We have lots of work to do to help the public understand what Christian Science really is. There's a lot of misunderstanding out there. You know, sometimes the media remind me of a youngster who has gotten into some trouble, done a lot of mischief, yet has some real potential. The press has a great deal of potential, potential for doing good, and we need to nourish that. We need to exercise the kind of Christian qualities that will nourish it.
Dave, do you recall the provision in the Manual of The Mother Church? See Man., Art. VIII, Sect. 3 It's sandwiched in between "A Rule for Motives and Acts" and the "Daily Prayer." Mrs. Eddy felt so strongly about how we respond to other churches and specifically to the press that she called on us to exercise these Christian qualities when we're misrepresented by the press. As a matter of fact, you may remember that she even called into question our church membership if we lost that Christian response. This tells us all something.
Mr. Sleeper: You know, speaking of the news media, of course we're greatly involved in disseminating news and news publishing through the now broad program of outreach through the various ways in which we're publishing The Christian Science Monitor. From your view, how does The Christian Science Monitor in its extended publishing program help to further the Cause of Christian Science, or at least the public's understanding of Christian Science?
Mr. Talbot: Dave, it is truly invaluable. It's like a bridge. Sometimes that's the only thing the public cares about. The Monitor in its various forms, whether it's a television program or radio show, is a bridge. I've had any number of people come up to me and tell me, "I heard that radio program put out by your Church and it's just great. You know, they deal intelligently with issues."
Well, that helps people understand something about the kind of people we are, and we need that. Plus the fact that while most people don't realize it, what they're seeing, what they're reading, what they're hearing, is a perspective on the news that is underpinned by a Church that has this perception of the omnipotence of Spirit. Now, that provides a constructive truth impelling power to the news that is a unique contribution. There's no other news organization in the world that brings that kind of perspective.
Mr. Sleeper: I agree. I think the Monitor brings a perspective to news that's incomparable. I think often of Mrs. Eddy's statement in establishing the Monitor: that it is "to spread undivided the Science that operates unspent." The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 353 And surely that Science which is operating unspent is the divine Science by which God governs. As we see the events taking place in the world, we can recognize that underlying it all is the unspent operation of this divine Science, which the Monitor is monitoring to present through its various news media.
Mr. Talbot: Dave, could we come back again to a point you raised earlier, about why all this is happening now? You know, sometimes people have the feeling that things happen because we're prepared to deal with them. And I think there's some truth to that. I think our Church is prepared for and capable of dealing with these issues. But there is another reason. The very fact that so much spiritual healing is happening, and has happened during this last hundred years, is bringing to the surface some issues that human thought needs to deal with. My office did a study in the last year or so looking at the testimonies that have been published in The Christian Science Journal and the Christian Science Sentinel. And let me tell you, it's remarkable. When you pull together the kinds of healings that have been published this last twenty years, the kinds of healings of life-threatening conditions, conditions doctors gave up, the incurables, those thought to be terminal, it's absolutely remarkable. I don't know if we Christian Scientists ourselves have fully appreciated how much healing is going on and the impact that's having on human thought.
Mr. Sleeper: We're admonished frequently by The Mother Church to recognize that we live for all mankind. Would you comment on the contribution we're making to mankind? Because we're the ones who are called on to face this issue of opposition to spiritual healing.
Mr. Talbot: I think that it's an unselfish contribution we're making, Dave. We're not making it just for ourselves; we're making it for all those we care for.
Mr. Sleeper: And the world is being blessed by the work we're doing.
Mr. Talbot: Maybe we need to ask ourselves sometimes, How much do we really care for our fellowman? That helps us bring it into perspective, and it sort of helps to make well up in us a desire to shelter this Comforter that has come to mankind.
Mr. Sleeper: Thank you, Nate, very much for participating in this discussion.
And now I'm going to talk with , who's General Counsel of The Mother Church. Brian, I spend most of my time in the Field instead of here at headquarters, and I hear questions asked from time to time involving legal matters regarding these court cases. One of the questions that often comes up has to do with the fact that one of the pillars of our society is that, constitutionally, everyone is guaranteed the freedom of religion. And so some Christian Scientists wonder, Aren't these court cases unconstitutional?
Mr. Pennix: That's an important question. So far they have been held constitutional. The court, when considering whether a trial is an impermissible or permissible infringement of religion, has had to do what we might call a balancing test. In the Constitution each of us has the right to the free exercise of religion, but there are limits on those rights, and that's expressed as follows: On the one hand, the court will look at the freedom of religion and put that on one side of the balance for an individual, and then on the other side, it will look at what the state's interest is in its own protection and safety. And if the court sees that the actual practice of religion is in some way harmful to the state's safety, then it will weigh those two and decide which one will prevail. Now, to be sure, in the constitutional setting, extra weight is given to the individual freedom side, to the individual's right to practice his religion; so that this process is not just simply an even weighing, it has to be a matter of a compelling state interest before the courts will prevent a person from practicing his religion. Up to this point the courts have looked at these issues as being a matter of religion versus the welfare of children. We, as Christian Scientists, take wonderful care of our children and love our children. It's a paramount concern to us, as it is to all of society. But as long as the issue is cast in terms of religion versus the care of children, then to this point, the courts have felt that the state's interest in protecting the welfare of children is sufficiently compelling to allow these trials, even though they, in fact, infringe religious freedom.
Mr. Sleeper: Despite the fact that we've had an excellent record of healing with our children, is there a feeling in the court system that we run the risk of martyring our children because of our religious convictions?
Mr. Pennix: I think that's not a strong feeling in the court system, but there has been rhetoric to that effect, both in some court decisions and in the press. I think what we need to understand is that society has essentially a mistaken view of what the issue is that's presented by these cases. It's not a matter of religion versus children; it's more a matter of whether we're going to make room in society for the practice of a Christian healing method that has been proven reliable over a century, which has, incidentally, saved children who had been given up by medical science. But unfortunately the underlying assumption seems to be in society that the care of children can only be accomplished through the application of medical science. And perhaps more unfortunate is the fact that the legal system has somewhat unthinkingly adopted this underlying assumption. Mrs. Eddy commented on a similar matter in Science and Health when she wrote: "The ancient Christians were healers. Why has this element of Christianity been lost? Because our systems of religion are governed more or less by our systems of medicine." Science and Health, p. 146 And I think what we're faced with here today is the suggestion that our system of justice has become governed more or less by our systems of medicine.
Mr. Sleeper: Could I switch to another question? Some Christian Scientists wonder, because we have such a good record of healing with our children, why don't the lawyers defending the Christian Scientists have a number of Christian Scientists come to court and testify as witnesses to healing experiences they've had in their lives and with their children?
Mr. Pennix: I think evidence of Christian Science healing is important in these cases, but the question is, How do we do this educating at the trial? How do we educate the jury at the trial level?
Mr. Sleeper: What do you mean, educate the jury?
Mr. Pennix: They need to learn that Christian Science healing exists and that it is effective and that it is not a fanciful notion that seems to be floating around out there. What we need to face, when considering how to introduce evidence of Christian Science healing in a trial situation, is what are called the rules of evidence. These rules have a good basis; they're designed to provide that only true facts are presented for the jury's consideration. And these rules test all the offered evidence for its relevance and its reliability.
To doubt the relevance of testimony about Christian Science healing to you and me may seem to be a gross misunderstanding of what really is relevant to the needs of society today. But in the narrower confines of a courtroom the prosecutor may be able to argue that evidence of one Christian Scientist's healings, or ten Christians' healings, or even a hundred, might not be relevant to the case at hand. Now, to be sure, there are arguments on the other side why evidence should be relevant. And it's important to understand that the judge has wide latitude and discretion in admitting evidence. His only concern is, it should be, to see that truth is exposed in these trials and that justice prevails. So he has a great deal of latitude. And here's an area where Christian Scientists can support—prayerfully support—the judges in these cases as they make these crucial decisions.
Mr. Sleeper: I think that's a very important point. We should feel involved, not with the trial itself, but involved from the standpoint of prayer to know that it's Mind that directs. "Truth is always the victor," Ibid., p. 380 as Mrs. Eddy writes. Justice must prevail because it's based on Truth. Another question, Brian. Is The Mother Church involved, in any particular degree, in these court cases by helping the parents in their efforts to defend themselves?
Mr. Pennix: Yes it is. While the individual parents have hired their own attorneys and while most of the legal fees for these cases have been paid by the local fields through individual defense funds, The Mother Church has been supporting these cases for a number of years. The Church has provided extensive legal research, both through its own attorneys and through outside counsel hired for that purpose. In addition, The Mother Church has sponsored several conferences all around the country at which all the defense teams have been able to come and share among themselves ideas, questions and answers, strategies, about what works and what doesn't work, as they work through their preparations for these trials. And the attorneys have told us that they're very grateful for this effort on the part of The Mother Church, if for no other reason than the fact that it leads to more efficient preparation for trial. In addition, The Mother Church has sponsored the preparation of several amicus curiae briefs; these are "friend of the court" briefs. Usually they go into more detail about constitutional issues, and they support appeals-court efforts that are tied in to these cases.
Mr. Sleeper: What about the defense funds that have been set up to benefit financially, to help raise funds to pay for the attorneys' fees? Does The Mother Church look with favor upon the defense funds and contributions to them by individuals?
Mr. Pennix: I think it makes a lot of sense for Christian Scientists and non-Christian Scientists to support these funds, because what they're really supporting by supporting the defense of these cases is the rights of all to practice their religion everywhere.
Mr. Sleeper: Thank you very much, Brian. I can think of a lot of other questions I'd like to ask you, but we're going to have to move forward with our program. I appreciate your help.
And now I'm going to talk with the Clerk of The Mother Church, Ginny, last summer when the court case took place in Santa Rosa, California, I think you were there during the trial, were you not? Tell us, what were the churches in Santa Rosa and in that general northern California area doing, and what can the churches in other areas do about these trials?
Mrs. Harris: I'd say those churches rallied, David. They really awakened to the task that was at hand. As they realized the implications and the seriousness of what they were facing, they just joined together and thought was galvanized in very constructive ways. I was talking one evening after a church service with a member of an executive board of one of the local churches, who said, "Can you believe it, just a few months ago our executive board was concerned about which shrubs to plant in front of the church?" So they'd come a long way in their thought, and they really zeroed in, I think, on the idea of communication. They communicated very effectively with their members and with other Christian Science churches in the area, as well as with the community.
Mr. Sleeper: Can you give a specific example? What did they do to communicate better?
Mrs. Harris: Within the church, for the members, they had membership meetings, both metaphysically oriented and generally oriented. The metaphysics, of course, was about the specific issues that need to be prayed about. They met with the Committee on Publication for Northern California and with Nate Talbot to let them be aware of some of the issues that might come up in public thought and in the press, and generally just what it would be like to go through these trial proceedings.
They also had meetings for the children in the Sunday Schools. These children, obviously, being a focus of the court cases, were interested and needed to have their questions answered. And so they had those kinds of meetings. They did some practical things like establishing a telephone tree within the local churches.
Mr. Sleeper: A telephone tree? What is that?
Mrs. Harris: A telephone tree is a procedure whereby you disseminate information by starting at the top and calling different members to get information out, maybe specifically something to pray about. They also installed a telephone-answering machine, which was updated each day with current messages telling them what proceedings had gone on, where the court would meet tomorrow, and things like that.
Mr. Sleeper: Did they do anything in particular to communicate better with the public, so the public would understand better what is involved in the practice and the healing work of Christian Science?
Mrs. Harris: Yes, they focused a great deal on their Reading Room. They have a very new, modern Reading Room right in the center of town. And they felt that this was important. The window displays needed to catch the eyes of those passing by, whether they came in to ask questions or got their answer just as they went by. The members felt that Reading Room was important. And I know that the media, the first day of the trial, came in through the doors of the Reading Room with a video camera.
Public thought and genuine interest do go to our Reading Rooms. So we need to anticipate that and expect that there will be genuine interest on the part of the community. We need to have well-stocked Reading Rooms, well manned, not just one attendant. So that if inquirers come in, there are several on hand to be able to deal with it.
Mr. Sleeper: I'm sure The Mother Church itself is aware of this need. Are there specific things that The Mother Church is planning to do to help reach the public better with correct information about Christian Science?
Mrs. Harris: Oh definitely, David, there are things that The Mother Church is doing, and has been doing, to support the challenges and to help inform the public better about Christian Science. The unique role of The Mother Church enables it to deal effectively with these kinds of things in a way that branch churches perhaps cannot do. There isn't a department here that isn't giving full attention to working with these challenges and support of them. We might take a look at some of those.
For example, the Board of Lectureship has asked for three special lectures to be prepared and made available. Now, these lectures have been written specifically to deal with the challenges that are facing society and underlying the challenges that Christian Scientists are facing in particular. There's "The Ring of Truth" video lecture that will be shown. Channel 68 has been having special interviews and particular programs, and special programs have been prepared to be shown during the upcoming months. I think we have to look to our periodicals. They've had, through the years, statements from the Board of Directors, specifically focused editorials, and articles written by members. Those will continue. And in fact we've prepared a reference sheet of some of the articles that are helpful along those lines over the last few years [published in the February Journal, p. 30]. There have been some informational ads in the local newspapers to help public awareness along these lines.
I think something else that's happening here at The Mother Church that's important is that we're organizing to deal more effectively with the press. We expect that press attention, as Nate mentioned, may be heightened. And so The Mother Church in it's unique role is addressing that issue as well. But, beyond all of this the most important thing is the individual lives of members: how each one of us lives, interacts with our neighbors and our community. Nothing speaks more honestly and genuinely than the life of a Christian Scientist. And we, as The Mother Church, may call on individual members to speak publicly about Christian Science and how it has affected their lives.
Mr. Sleeper: On another subject, what effect would you say that the court challenges are having on members in particular, and on practitioners in general, regarding their practice of Christian Science healing? In other words, are they getting better, more dedicated? What's the general result?
Mrs. Harris: It's been an individual response, David. Some people have had a difficult time with this: they really have. Other people have dug deeply in and have found a tremendous sense of spiritual growth and freedom come from that. And we've actually had people joining The Mother Church because of the effect of these trials. They have wanted to join a Church that's supportive of spiritual healing for children. So you can see that there's quite a range of responses.
But I think underlying all of that there is a tremendous sense of eradicating any sort of timid conservatism on the part of Christian Scientists and their approach to treatment. I think we can safely say that people have become more radical workers, more radical metaphysicians in their approach to the problems and in their work for society as a whole. Their treatments are specific and well thought through and spiritually based.
Mr. Sleeper: Is there not a great deal that we all can do, and specifically parents, in the preventive work of Christian Science? And especially as we see what is really underlying this opposition to spiritual healing, as we talked about earlier in my discussion with Nate Talbot. Do you want to comment about preventive work that individual Christian Scientists can do, should do?
Mrs. Harris: I think that the preventive work is part of the awakening or the awareness that's going on. Life isn't just business as usual, so to speak. There are some significant challenges facing Christian Scientists and society. And as we respond to those and deal with those from a position of poise and dominion, the preventive results follow.
Mr. Sleeper: Yes. Ginny, do you hear that there are practitioners who are reluctant now to take children's cases, and if so, would you comment on that?
Mrs. Harris: Yes, I would say that there are some, and I think some that are even refusing to take children's cases. But by and large I find that the majority of practitioners are confident.
Mr. Sleeper: Should a practitioner take every case he or she is asked to take?
Mrs. Harris: No, no, not by any means. Great wisdom, great care, needs to be given to the cases that we do take. Our wonderful sense of spiritual intuition is really called to order here. And of course we have the very specific, direct guidance that Mrs. Eddy gives to practitioners in the Church Manual, where she says that the choice of patients is left up to the wisdom of the practitioners.
Mr. Sleeper: Another subject, Ginny. Critics sometimes claim that Christian Scientists feel under pressure from the Church to rely exclusively on God for healing, and therefore they don't feel the freedom to make the choice that they might like to make. Is there any such pressure from the Church?
Mrs. Harris: Absolutely none. No, in no way does this Church or any individual in this Church force anyone to rely on any particular means. I think you find rather a very natural response to relying on spiritual means if one is a Christian Scientist. We make a conscious decision to be a Christian Scientist and to follow spiritual means for healing for ourselves, or for our family. And we do this out of a tremendous record in the past of proofs that we've had, solid convictions, and what we're seeing and hearing all along. So it's again one of those suggestions of animal magnetism to say that anybody should feel pressured. We must do what is our highest sense of right under the circumstance. And I think it just really gets down to this, David: any parents, whether they're Christian Scientists or not, are going to follow the innermost feelings of their heart and from experience, and choose what has proven best for them.
Mr. Sleeper: Surely we all love our children. We want the very best help we can have for them, there's no question about that. Do you agree?
Mrs. Harris: That's right. And this movement can't be deprived of one of its greatest joys, and that's the healing of children.
Mr. Sleeper: I know in my own case with our children (they're grown now) but we always felt that whenever we turned to prayer for healing, we were doing the wisest, the most intelligent, the most practical, taking the step that we felt the greatest confidence in, and we wouldn't have had any confidence in turning to some other system. Do you have any other comments you want to make about children's cases. Not court cases but just relative to the Christian Science practice?
Mrs. Harris: I think that, as a parent too myself, we need to see that parents aren't handled in their thinking by having a reluctance to turn to Christian Science for healing. As I've said, children are so receptive to the truth, and it's just a joy to see those healings come along. And, you know, it's not just so much a matter of having a physical need met at a particular time, but you also have that wonderful sense of Christian morals, and values, and free, independent thinking that comes with the study of Christian Science and its application.
Mr. Sleeper: So it's part of the training we're giving our children; it's not simply turning to a particular system to handle a particular problem, but it involves the overall training that we're giving them to learn to trust in God and His direction under all circumstances. Do you agree?
Mrs. Harris: That's exactly its. I sure do.
Mr. Sleeper: And now to conclude our meeting I'm going to deliver a statement prepared by The Christian Science Board of Directors for this meeting.
"It is remarkable to note all that has come to pass since we joined as a movement in a commitment to go out into all the world and to live for all mankind. Five years ago we came together in a worldwide videoconference. We considered major spiritual issues together. We prayed together. We agreed together that a special effort would be made to see God's care and embrace of every individual on earth.
"In a phrase, we agreed that our lives should more consistently reflect the universal Love that is at the very core of Christianity. Our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, had called for such living. It was in response to this call that we all determined that we would increasingly let our lives fulfill this goal. It was not a parochial goal. It was an acknowledgment that Truth belongs to all and should be made manifest in the world. Our Master, Christ Jesus, could have lived only for himself. And we would not have Christianity. Mary Baker Eddy could have lived just for herself. And the world would not have the Science of Christianity on record. Many people in history, because of their love for God, have been unselfish enough to live their lives taking into account their fellowman. And we have been called on to exercise that same unselfishness.
"In very specific and practical terms, just what has it meant for Christian Scientists to broaden their perspective and to see their lives in the context of living for others instead of just living for themselves? It means many, many things. But The Christian Science Board of Directors would like to comment here on just one aspect of what this means. There are many things that peoples of the world have in common. One of them is an innate desire to experience freedom. Some people may define this as political freedom. Others, as religious freedom. Still others may describe their need in terms of freedom from poverty or illness or hunger or homelessness.
"Real freedom always stems from God, who is Spirit. The Bible reminds us: 'Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.' II Cor. 3:17
"Freedom coexists with responsibility. Each one of us can show practical evidence of real, intelligent caring. As Mary Baker Eddy counsels, we have the responsibility to fulfill the totality of our obligations to children when we choose to have them. We have the responsibility to adhere to the ethics of Christian Science practice; the responsibility to demonstrate Christianity in our relations with others. As students of Christian Science we have been granted a solemn trust.
"Millions are encouraged by the increased evidence of freedom emerging in the world. Christian Scientists are grateful because the German Democratic Republic has [recently] formally recognized the Church of Christ, Scientist, and the right to practice Christian Science—the first such recognition of a church there in thirty years.
"On a more sober note, in the United States, which has cradled Christian Science, some chilling questions about freedom have been raised. About freedom of religion. About the freedom to turn fully to God, to Spirit, when family members are ill. People throughout our society are feeling a heavy secular hand that is narrowing their freedom, their right to choose the kind of care they may receive, their capacity to decide how they will meet their individual health needs.
"This has always been one of the most cherished freedoms a people has had—how to care for their personal well-being. That freedom has eroded noticeably in recent years. There are those who argue vigorously that conventional medicine must be society's standard. But at a deeper level the real issue is whether our salvation, our true life, will be found in materialism or in spirituality. Will we accept the responsibility that must go with this choice?
"A significant battle is being waged on this issue. Those who are promoting material medicine appear not to care whether such medicine is more effective. They simply call for it to be society's ultimate and true standard for being saved from both the large and small ills of daily life.
"Only gradually are people beginning to realize that the freedom to rely on spiritual healing is actually at stake. But the right to rely on God's healing power deserves to be preserved as much for those who may seem little interested in such a right, as for those who are deeply concerned to keep this right from slipping from society's grasp.
"Mrs. Eddy spoke of being citizens of the world. She expected us to be in the world and to redeem the world. We need to be in the world if we are to win acceptance of spiritual healing. This Christly motive will protect us from being either contaminated or mesmerized by the carnal mindedness that would enslave the world.
"There may be times when it would seem that the world might be deprived of religious liberty. Yet Christ is ever present throughout the world demanding, 'Let my people go.'
"As freedom emerges in the world, we can rejoice. Especially to the extent it's recognized as having its source in God. Where freedom is being suppressed, we can be stirred into spiritual action and be glad we're awake enough to seize the opportunity to overturn the suppression.
"We especially want to acknowledge our deepest love and support of those families who, as a result of trusting God for healing, have felt the heavy hand of public prosecution. We will continue to employ the resources of this Church in their behalf, and in aiding society to see that these things concern the universal welfare of mankind.
"There is much more work to be done, but Christian healing shall never depart from the face of the earth."
