Editorial December 16, 1916 Issue

Not Decadence, but Progress

Archibald McLellan

From time to time some of those who it is assumed are authorized to speak for the Christian church, express a somewhat despondent view of the progress of Christianity, from which one might almost feel that the growth of the religion of Christ Jesus has come to an end, and that there is no hope or desire on the part of mankind for a betterment of what are alleged to be the existing conditions. As a sample of these expressions we quote from a well known religious periodical as follows:—

"Two thousand years ago the Prophet of Galilee announced the most daring spiritual program ever conceived. It involved utter reliance upon the certainties of spiritual law, and utter confidence in goodness, a belief in the truth as being able, willing, and sure to care for and reward them that put their destiny in its hands and doubted not. We have never dared to act upon his program. We have praised it, wondered at it, lauded its majesty and beauty, but to live it has been too much for our cowardly souls."

Like every other expression of despondency, this statement is too general, goes too far, and proves that the person who makes it has his eyes closed to what is going on around him. It would seem that he does not know that Christian Science, which stands for all these things, is growing by leaps and bounds, and that it is growing because its followers are modeling their lives upon the life of Jesus, and that they are not only preaching his gospel, but also to the extent of their ability they are doing the works which he did. Notwithstanding the "welter of war" which has convulsed so large a portion of humanity, it is not claiming too much to say that the world is today, because of Christian Science, closer to the spiritual program of Christ Jesus than it has been at any time during the past fifteen centuries. There are more people than ever before who place implicit reliance upon the certainties of spiritual law, who have confidence in goodness, because God is good, and who believe in divine Truth as being able, willing, and sure to care for and reward them that put their destiny in His hands.

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