Articles

The modern philosopher who spoke thus to a friend, "Tell me of your beliefs; I have doubts of my own," was unconsciously voicing a wide-spread appeal. What he intended to convey was, that doubt, being negative and destructive, is useless for any high and holy purpose.

The writer was particularly interested in the following statement contained in the clerk's report of the annual meeting of The Mother Church, June 8, 1912 ( Sentinel, p. 804): "There has been much to indicate that the year's growth and development have been largely due to an increased understanding on the part of Christian Scientists of their individual responsibility,—a clearer realization that the problems, both of the individual and of our church organizations, can only be solved through the impersonal, unselfish demonstration of God's unerring guidance.

St. Paul's admonition to put off the old man and put on the new, is realized and exemplified to a marked degree by those who come into Christian Science from a worldly or godless life.

The importance of adopting an unvarying attitude of active resistance to the encroachments of evil, error of every sort, is an emphasized point in the teaching of Christian Science. We are all liable, if not to forget this, at least to minimize in thought the necessity for continual watchfulness, and for active resistance to aggressive intimation.

In the twentieth chapter of the book of Deuteronomy we read: "When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies .

There has been some comment concerning the non-participation of the Christian Science church in what is known as the "men and religion forward movement," and an extreme statement was made by a young man, much in need of the help which Christian Science alone gives, to the effect that he hesitated to try Christian Science because he inferred that it appealed chiefly to women. He had heard that Christian Scientists did not participate in the "men and religion" movement, because no serious expectation was entertained of enlisting men to any considerable degree in Christian Science work.

The explanation given to the disciples of Jesus respecting the darkness into which they had fallen was, "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures. " At another time, seeing the hopelessness of controversy with the Jews, who had already made up their minds with regard to his teaching, he said, "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life.

In that wonderful fourteenth chapter of John's gospel wherein is set forth a portion of the last instructions of Christ Jesus, he is quoted as saying, "The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me," therewith giving to the world one of the marvelously condensed lessons in the fundamental truth of Christianity which so thickly studded the few short years of his ministry. While not forgetful that the theological exposition of this declaration will be found in the statement of our text-book, it is not inept in us, perhaps, to examine the sentence for the light it may shed upon the every-day problems of humanity and for the sense in which it may be presumed Jesus used it.

With a growing appreciation of the qualities inherent in the child nature, the student of Christian Science understands how it was that Jesus esteemed childlikeness as one of the conditions essential to entrance into the kingdom of God, divine Truth; and one of the things that Christian Science does for those who become interested in it, is to awaken and increase their love for the little ones. In order to advance our own spiritual growth, we realize the importance of acquiring those qualities which we are told gain an entrance to that heavenly state of consciousness defined by Jesus as the kingdom of heaven within.

Visitors to the Wednesday evening meetings of the Christian Science churches are often startled by the frequent occurrence and recurrence in testimonies of such expressions as, "I am very grateful to God, also to Mrs. Eddy, for the blessings which have come into my life.