Annual Meeting: "Choose Ye" sets the tone

Judith Hedrick

The Christian Science Board of Directors has invited us to study Mary Baker Eddy’s article “‘Choose Ye’” (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, pp. 3-6) this year. The spiritual readiness and selflessness that she talks about in the address will set the tone for Annual Meeting in June—and beyond.

I discovered that Mrs. Eddy mentions the Golden Rule three times in this article. Christ Jesus taught us, “... all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12).

What is the relation of the Golden Rule to healing? Isn’t this a rule of unselfish love for others? Love as the expression of divine Love heals. And doesn’t such love grow from our understanding of God, good, as the supreme power? Spiritual understanding heals the sick.

Through our study of Christian Science, we learn that Spirit is the only power. Mrs. Eddy writes, “When, by losing his faith in matter and sin, one finds the spirit of Truth, then he practises the Golden Rule spontaneously; and obedience to this rule spiritualizes man, …” (My. 4:1-4).

Putting others first in our thought, living unselfishly, is spiritual readiness. Through our pure spiritual thought, we discern God’s unlimited loving provision for all, lose our belief in and fear of evil or lack, and hear His message of Truth and Love which heals and sets humanity free. Our practice of this rule as Christians is a foundation for our healing practice as Christian Scientists.

Putting others first in our thought, living unselfishly, is spiritual readiness.

Mrs. Eddy reinforces this point by stating that if we forget this rule, we cannot demonstrate the power that heals. “Forgetting the Golden Rule and indulging sin, men cannot serve God; they cannot demonstrate the omnipotence of divine Mind that heals the sick and the sinner” (My. 5:28-30).

Reading “‘Choose Ye’” I am awake to the demand that I remember the Golden Rule and use it in my daily life. God, Love, is the power that heals. So our expression of the unselfish love of Love toward all we meet is our expression of the power that heals and saves humanity.

The theme of Annual Meeting is “A spiritual foundation of Christ-healing” (Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 136:1). It is online only. You are invited to watch in groups or individually on Monday, June 2, at 1:00 p.m., Boston time. If that isn’t convenient, the replay will be available within a day. The webcast and more information is on the Annual Meeting Web page. If you have any questions about the meeting, please email AnnualMeeting@christianscience.com.

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