Editorial December 25, 1978 Issue

Healing, and opening windows to mankind

Geoffrey J. Barratt

There is a strong connection between healing ourselves and other individuals, and our opening windows to mankind. In the measure that we understand the scientific truth of being and its potency we will be actively aware of its broad application. We will know that the applicability of Christian Science ranges from individual physical problems to national and international "ailments." The vigorous Christian Scientist is a world thinker and healer.

It's more than just a foible of human nature to be largely self-concerned. Mortal mind, the claim that consciousness can be finite and local, would have us so absorbed in what appear to be our own personal challenges that we give little or no thought to the problems of the world in general. By compartmentalizing error in this way, mortal mind would perpetuate error. It would close our eyes to the vital point that error is error—a phase of nothingness—whether it seems to be attached to our individual physical body or to a community or to the world. Because Truth is infinite it has universal application. To be merely self-interested in our mental work would show a weak sense of the allness and omnipotence of Truth. And it would miss at least part of the point in Mary Baker Eddy's founding of The Christian Science Monitor.

Problems of the physical body are certainly closer to home, so far as the individual sufferer is concerned, than community or national problems. It is quite sound and logical for us to deal with more immediate claims presenting themselves to us. But why leave matters there? Christian Science makes no case for self-absorption. Unless we are making a reasonable job of healing ourselves, though, it's not likely our wider-ranging treatment will be effective.

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