Article February 26, 1903 Issue

Obedience

MARGARET E. HALLEY.

A Quarter of a century ago I was one of a corps of Sunday School teachers in the very poor neighborhood of Homerton, London, Eng.

We were giving our little ones an outing in the country, and only those who know what city poverty is, can understand what joy it was for those little creatures to get into or see a green field. Suddenly we were attracted by shouts of delight and exclamations of "Oh, teacher! come! I see the eggs growing." On going to see, what was our horror to find the children ready to devour toadstools. Close investigation ensued as to whether any had been eaten, then fingers that had touched them were washed, etc., and great was our thankfulness that no evil came of it.

This incident has often come to mind since coming to Christian Science. How often we mistake and call our human opinions the truth! and by holding to these opinions, stubbornly and wilfully declaring that we are right, are mentally poisoned thereby. There is no excuse for us; those children never offered to touch the toadstools after they were warned. Can't we be childlike and obedient, knowing that when we are able to understand, we shall see clearly why we were told to do this or that? In Science and Health, page 103, it reads, "The liberation of the powers of mortal mind through Science, whereby man may escape from mortality into immortality, blesses the whole human family. As in the beginning, however, this liberation does not scientifically show itself in a knowledge of good and evil, for this knowledge is unreal." Paul tells us that children are under tutors and governors. (Galatians, 4 : I, 2.) Our ignorant human mind wishes to make us think we are full-grown men; whereas, so long as we are conscious—have knowledge—of good and evil as factors in belief, we differ nothing from a servant,—we are not freed men. At present many of us need, and need badly, tutors and governors, rules and by-laws, and if we will only be honest and obedient we shall not find them irksome. The more I advance in the study of our Leader's works, the more I see and feel with growing reverence, God's love in giving us the blessings which have reached us through her devoted life, her moral courage, and her clear realization in showing us the narrow way. She has clearly defined to our consciousness the difference between Principle and human opinions, that false charity is only human selfishness and self-righteousness. It is a glorious study to learn how to know that evil can be and must be condemned, and yet be impersonal. That in Science we can realize every word of the Lord's Prayer and the spiritual interpretation thereof. Our Leader tells us we can reach this "heaven-born aspiration and spiritual consciousness" (Science and Health, p. 16); and one of the results is instantaneous healing. Are we going to let anything stop this realization?

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