Articles

Praying for the world can seem like an awfully tall order at times. No doubt most of us can remember at least once when the prospect of praying about world hunger or nuclear holocaust seemed so overwhelming that we were tempted to hold off on global issues and tackle "easier" challenges on our own home front.

When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, his fearful disciples "forsook him, and fled. " Later, Peter, recognized as a disciple, denied his acquaintance with Jesus: "I know not this man of whom ye speak.

Purity is often thought of as an absence: pure water has no dirt or harmful chemicals in it. But purity is actually a potent healing presence —the unhindered presence of good.

Many people think of the Christian Science nurse as an alert, cheerful, neat, prompt, and uncomplaining person. But he or she is even more.

If you feel incapable of giving a testimony, take heart! You are able to voice your gratitude. As a new student of Christian Science, I listened to the helpful and uplifting testimonies given on Wednesday evenings at the branch Church of Christ, Scientist, I attended.

I remember looking out a window many years ago onto a sun-filled garden and a familiar scene: a lilac tree, flowers, a lawn where a child was playing, a cat curled up among the raspberry canes. And I could hear a thrush singing from the rooftop.

On the whole, wouldn't the world be improved if there were more enlightened scientific reasoning in all human endeavors? Yet more than being just scientific, reasoning needs to be Christianly scientific. Such reasoning necessarily starts with God's allness.

Man—the pure reflection of Spirit—is created by God, and he lives by divine decree. God is the source and substance of his being.

Power. Control.

Do branch Churches of Christ, Scientist, need guidelines and bylaws? The best answer can be found in the Bible, which explains the spiritual basis for church, and in the writings of Mrs. Eddy, who founded The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts.