Article September 26, 1953 Issue

POSITIVE LOYALTY

LESLIE BURN ANDREAE

Mary Baker Eddy insists in her writings on complete loyalty to God, telling us in her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 183): "Divine Mind rightly demands man's entire obedience, affection, and strength. No reservation is made for any lesser loyalty. Obedience to Truth gives man power and strength. Submission to error superinduces loss of power."

This quotation, which is correlative to the First Commandment (Ex. 20:3), "Thou shalt have no other gods before me," is foundational in Christian Science teaching and practice and in the attainment of a correct understanding of God, Mind. Mind is expressed through its idea, man. When we understand that man is idea, reflecting the fullness and completeness of Mind, we cannot be less than unswervingly loyal to God, the creator. Thus loyalty is seen to be a quality which we can express permanently and continually. In its highest sense loyalty is a positive quality, wholly unreserved in its allegiance and fidelity to God. It expresses the purity and positiveness of divine Mind, the devotion, adoration, and homage implied in the Master's words (John 4:24): "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."

Because mental reservations are ordinarily regarded as permissible in human intercourse, it is not always appreciated how dangerous and harmful they can be to the student of Christian Science. Reservations are often held in thought unconsciously, and only Truth, properly applied, can bring them to light and so destroy them. Sometimes they are openly acknowledged, but little is done to correct them. Occasionally we hear someone say that Christian Science works for some, but not for others, and then he adds with engaging frankness, "I'm one of the others!" Or he says, "I believe in the truth of Christian Science and love it, but ..." And then follow a number of mental reservations, little objections, inhibitions, and so forth.

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