Article November 24, 1917 Issue

The Christian Scientist and Transient Literature

FREDERICK REED

Much of the writer's personal correspondence of late has hinged upon the attitude of individual Christian Scientists toward current literature other than the publications of The Christian Science Publishing Society. Addiction to the regular perusal of the sensational newspaper, the current fiction magazine, and the habit generally of feeding upon non-Christian Science literature, have too often monopolized the time for study which, it seems to the writer, might better be given to provable expressions of Truth, such as one finds in our authorized current literature.

Our Leader recognized this situation when she wrote in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 7): "Looking over the newspapers of the day, one naturally reflects that it is dangerous to live, so loaded with disease seems the very air. These descriptions carry fears to many minds, to be depicted in some future time upon the body. A periodical of our own will counteract to some extent this public nuisance; for through our paper, at the price at which we shall issue it, we shall be able to reach many homes with healing, purifying thought." Indeed, it is difficult to understand how one who has had a taste of the nourishing bread of Life can be satisfied, even temporarily or in part, by a diet consisting of the husks of materialistic literature. For this reason the author ventures to offer the substance of a letter recently written to a correspondent, who stands as a type of many occasional readers of the Monitor and of the Sentinel, who are yet unawakened regarding the vital importance of these periodicals to every Christian Scientist, especially at the present juncture in world events.

To the correspondent it was said: You will find the love of reading and studying the Bible, and all authorized Christian Science literature, growing in your consciousness as you persist in reading and studying. One needs to be healed of the love of materialistic reading and study quite as much as one needs healing from physical pain; and literature based on anything less than the allness of God and the nothingness of matter must be materialistic. Knowledge acquired from such literature is really not knowledge at all, and must be cast out of one's consciousness before the full power of Truth, the real knowledge of Spirit, can take possession of one's life. At first blush this seems too sweeping a statement, but I believe that the facts justify it.

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