Editorial January 25, 1919 Issue

The Dictates of One's Conscience

William D. McCrackan

Christian Scientists can perform a great service for the human race at this hour in following the dictates of their conscience by upholding the constitutional rights of free peoples to religious and political liberty as well as to their free choice in that which concerns the healing of the sick. In her Message to The Mother Church in June, 1899, Mrs. Eddy wrote: "No crown nor sceptre nor rulers rampant can quench the vital heritage of freedom—man's right to adopt a religion, to employ a physician, to live or to die according to the dictates of his own rational conscience and enlightened understanding" (Miscellany, p. 128). When the Christ, Truth, governs the dictates of one's conscience, divine Principle becomes the only dictator, and a Christian character is developed.

Tyranny wears masks many in order the better to deceive minds many, but it cannot deceive the one Mind. Christian Science, which teaches the ever availability of the one Mind, exposes the masquerade of tyranny no matter how many disguises it may assume. When Cæsarism or the despotism of one man has been found out, the carnal mind hastens to rush to the opposite extreme and establish Bolshevism, or the despotism of many. A change of name does not prove a change of heart. Tyranny is the same however it is cloaked. In every case the tyranny of the one, of the few, or of the many, springs from the desire to gather the fruits of labor without earning them. When autocracy has been overwhelmed by revenge and the servant dictates to the master, the revengeful servant merely perpetuates the rule of tyranny under another form. The power to follow the dictates of one's conscience under God's guidance should be paramount over human enactments.

When Paul confronted the council of the chief priests we read that "earnestly beholding the council," he said, "Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day." When the chief priest commanded him to be smitten on the mouth, he replied, "Sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?"

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Among the Churches
January 25, 1919
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