Articles

As Christ Jesus journeyed among the hill-towns of Cæsarea Philippi that lie between the sources of Jordan and Pharpar, he asked a question that must give every man pause at some time or other in his experience; namely, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" It may be that with a consciousness ever seeking symbols to make clear to material sense the parting of the ways which lead earthward and heavenward, the Master had caught a spiritual suggestion from the geographical proximity of the sources of the rivers Jordan and Pharpar,—Jordan, that has symbolized to Jew and Christian the baptism of Spirit, the purification from all fleshliness, and Pharpar, the river of Syria whose waters were not sufficient to cleanse Naaman of his leprosy, though he esteemed them more highly than the rivers of Israel, — these may have served to symbolize to Jesus the relative values of Spirit and matter. All men will agree that only that which profits is of real value.

One is sometimes plied with questions concerning Christian Science which it is difficult to answer satisfactorily offhand, and this may be due to the fact that no religion can be thoroughly understood with the head alone. The world has accepted various religions, not because any of them are easy solutions of the problem of the universe,—none of them are,—but because most men wish to pin their faith to some system of religious thought, and they accept that which seems to them to be the most rational.

How many Christian Scientists have attended a Wednesday evening meeting where every one gave a testimony? At one such meeting there were only five present, their ages ranging from twelve to eighteen years. Tears of gratitude filled the eyes of the Reader, as one by one the fresh young voices spoke lovingly of the help which Christian Science had been to them since they had last met there.

The apostle John tells us that "the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. " In that section of the sermon on the mount which comprises the fifth chapter of Matthew, exclusive of the first sixteen verses, Jesus shows the relation of the Christ-idea to divine law and also to human legislation; and he illustrates his teaching by expounding certain of the commandments and laws of Moses in the light of this idea.

Christian Science teaches that those who would be genuinely honest and truthful are bound to adopt the code of spiritual perfection indicated in the words of the prophet, "Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord," and again enjoined upon them by the Master in his sermon on the mount. Such true and honest testimony involves right thinking at every turn: it denies every appearance of evil and mentally maintains the unchangeableness of the infinite good, and its ever-presence.

What the world needs more than its religious doctrines is the willingness to abide by them, if they are true. While the creeds and doctrines of Christian sects are practically a unit in their statement of the fundamental truths concerning Deity, there is but little agreement as to the measure of their applicability to human affairs, and less willingness to adhere to them if they conflict with personal opinion or the deductions of material hypotheses.

IN this country there are thousands of young men standing on die threshold of their career, seeing the need of an advanced education, but without the means of acquiring it. Too often the result is that ambition is thrown to the winds, or its flames allowed to smolder and die through tear, ignorance, or lethargy.

IN all ages of the world's history, preaching has been a habit which mankind has loved to cultivate. At the same time, practice, with its host of promises and possibilities, has often been allowed to lie dormant and undeveloped, to be an almost forgotten thing.

In coming into the harbor of New York, many years ago, I was much impressed with the statue of "Liberty Enlightening the World," a colossal figure which towers above the water, and light in hand illumines the way. So imposing and majestic was this statue that I wondered why a woman had been selected as the type of liberty, despite the fact that women are more or less oppressed in all nations, having to struggle for their liberty even in the most civilized countries.

A CERTAIN hickory tree which shades our lawn has lately been the means of teaching so valuable a lesson that its story is here told for the benefit of others who, figuratively speaking, may have hickory trees on their own premises. Each year when the arrival of spring causes the other trees to put forth their leaves, this one stands for weeks in gaunt and bare unloveliness.