Article September 19, 1931 Issue

Business and Employment

LEONARD T. CARNEY

A SPIRITUAL idea, concisely expressed, sometimes throws light upon the meaning of common words. Such is true of the word "business." When Jesus said, "Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" he raised a word from its ordinary significance to one of spiritual distinction. In this light, business has a meaning for the divining thought which is somewhat removed from its usual import. For a Christian Scientist it means the business of knowing God, the real man, the universe of spiritual ideas, and applying this knowledge to human affairs.

It is sometimes believed that, in Christian Science, demonstration in the healing of sickness comes more readily than does the demonstration of supply. There is no reason for this. In Science only one rule for demonstration is given. Mary Baker Eddy states it in various ways, one of which is as follows: "The Christian understanding of scientific being and divine healing includes a perfect principle and idea, — perfect God and perfect man, — as the basis of thought and demonstration" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 259). In healing disease we do not assume the reality of a sick body and then try to heal it. No more in healing lack should we assume the reality of a sick business or depleted supply and then seek to heal it through spiritual means.

Real business is activity governed by spiritual thought. While human activity may change frequently and radically, or may vary even within a given employment, our real business of knowing and demonstrating divine power never changes. While we may be about our activities for different periods of time, our true business is continuous. As the understanding of the perfect man enables us to overcome the ills of the body, so does the right idea or understanding of real business annihilate the ills of employment.

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