Articles

Salvation is gained in the ratio that Truth is understood and mortal selfhood is relinquished. The definition of salvation, as given by Mrs.

In these strange and stirring times, when the disintegration of mortal mind goes on apace, when strife and tumult walk hand in hand with limitation and fear, it is well to remember where our succor is. The terror of those outside the ark of safety is pitiful; but when we remember that it is likewise baseless, we rejoice in some understanding of good that disarms error.

The writer has many times read articles expressing gratitude for our Lesson-Sermons. A short time ago he had occasion to spend Sunday in a small town in which there was no church, and as he was not acquainted with any Christian Scientist in the place, he went to his room at the hotel, and held a service alone, according to the usual order, except that he acted as both First and Second Reader, and also as congregation.

In childhood the writer often faced the question: What difference does it make what you believe in, so long as you believe in it,—that is, so long as you have faith in it as an ideal by which you can lift yourself up? To you, it must be good. She thus grew up with the comfortable assurance that all religions, including idolatry, were good for those who believed in them and honestly practiced them,—and would ultimately result in good.

As the world progresses in the knowledge of God, and human life and action gradually broaden into higher and freer modes of expression, the old-time duties of man assume new phases and the responsibilities of past centuries reappear in new forms and need to be considered in the clearer light of present necessities. The mass of intelligent men and women is increasing hour by hour, thereby giving rise to large bodies of people who ask that their viewpoints be conveyed to other greater and yet greater bodies, in a true and orderly way, and representation becomes one of the responsibilities devolving upon certain chosen characters, in modes of such far-reaching consequences that an ambassador of the time of Cæsar would quail before the exigencies of his modern military, civil, or denominational successor.

To the earnest student of Christian Science, obedience to God, divine Principle, takes on a new and higher meaning. He realizes that without obedience there is no progress possible, and that through it all things may be accomplished.

Who of us has not had occasion to feel how inadequate words are to express gratitude, or been visited with a pang of regret when remembering how fleeting our own gratitude, as well as that of others, is apt to seem? Indeed, one is sometimes tempted to say, "The human race is an ungrateful race. " This lack of responsiveness for benefits received arises not so much from individual and collective apathy as from ignorance of what constitutes true gratitude.

Throughout the Scriptures we are constantly assured of God's guidance and protection. For many centuries mankind have tried to avail themselves of this promised divine care, believing that a supernatural power would shield them from evil if they were able to induce God to set aside the natural order of things for their sake.

The many articles regarding the Sunday school, which appear from time to time in The Christian Science Journal and Sentinel, have been so helpful to me that I am impelled to share some of my joyful experiences in this work with others. When asked to teach a class it seemed it would have been more proper to ask me to take a chair in the class itself.

As the unreality of matter, or materialism, dawned with clearer and clearer vision upon the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes, he was led to make this declaration: "I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. " This would, indeed, have been a most deplorable and hopeless state of mind had not his ability to make such a declaration enabled him also to perceive the underlying spiritual reality as expressed in his inspired summary: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.