Articles

Many First Readers announce at each service in a Church of Christ, Scientist, "The members of this church welcome you. " But how do we as church members and regular attendants really feel about those of bizarre dress, of different colored skin, of poor reputation? Should any of these enter our church edifice, do we bid them welcome with love, or do we feel smug contempt? Are we glad that God has sent us some more of His children, or do we silently point them out by nudging elbows, nodding our heads and winking to say, "There's a strange one here"? And, later, do we discuss them as if it is odd that they come to seek the Christ, Truth? But isn't their coming a most natural action? Haven't our prayers been that all receptive hearts should share in our worship of God? Oh, let us love enough to look beyond the outer appearance! Let our welcome be the essence of love distilled—unselfed, innocent of all hypocrisy—an invitation to come again and again.

He who knows not and knows not he knows not: he is a fool—shun him: .

Teachableness, intelligence, vision—how can we assure an evidence of these qualities in the audience at our next Christian Science lecture? Mrs. Eddy writes: "The lives of all reformers attest the authenticity of their mission, and call the world to acknowledge its divine Principle.

Christian Science enables its students to develop the kind of self-reliance that is so essential to enable them to reap the fruits of prayerful work and success in a chosen field of activity. Through absolute reliance on God and on an understanding of the perfect spiritual nature of man, the student can develop his capacities and gain confidence to meet any demand upon him.

Anyone who accepts an assignment to teach in a Christian Science Sunday School has accepted a challenge to think and communicate spontaneously. The discussions in his class must be clear and direct, and they must come from daily experience if they are to be of practical help to the students.

"It is scientific to rob disease of all reality," writes Mrs. Eddy, "and to accomplish this, you cannot begin by admitting its reality.

In the absolute sense—in the kingdom of heaven, the true habitation of man in God's image and likeness—the word "escape" has no meaning. Indeed, in this holy kingdom, revealed by our Master, Christ Jesus, as a present reality, there is actually no evil to escape from, and certainly no desire to flee the perfect harmony of spiritual existence.

In today's world, materialism seems rampant. Spiritual values are often regarded as secondary, if existent at all.

To paraphrase an old saw, one could say that mankind work from sun to sun but their work for God is never done. Does one in his golden years dare to sit down, fold his hands, withdraw from active living with the rationalization, "My work is done; I now live on borrowed time"? To whom would he be listening—to God, divine Mind, or to mortal mind? It is error that whispers such insidious thoughts.

As devoted students of Christian Science explore the depths of Truth, a clearer and clearer comprehension of man's individual spiritual identity unfolds in their thoughts. No more is it possible for them to agree with the popular assumption that man is finite or in any way related to a material body or a worldly environment.