Editorial June 23, 1906 Issue

"Blest be the tie that binds"

John B. Willis

The late Communion and dedicatory service of the Extension of The Mother Church will always be remembered as a notable event, not only in its occasion but in its unity of spirit, its inspiration, its enthusiasm, and its contagious joy. Divine Love was manifested in a manner and degree which gave new and nearer significance to one's thought of heaven. It was that blossoming of brotherhood which precedes and guarantees the fruitage of faith. The conscious proximity of a great idea brought a dissipating rebuke to the narrowness of self-interest. In such a presence it became easy and natural for one to be courteous, unselfish, kind, and good, and we have thus learned, through human experience as well as through revelation, that the one place where we can all meet without fear of friction is within the shadow of that great Rock, the Christ-truth whose majesty and might alone save humanity from the disintegrating weakness of mortal sense. Truth is the cement of true socialism, the bond of true brotherhood.

In a time of increasing stress and turmoil in the world's communal life, a time when the asserted unfairness and injustice of political and commercial rule are cited as the explanation of strikes and incipient revolution, and when the pitiful living-conditions of vast numbers in all lands is pressing upon the heart of every Christian altruist, it is quite impossible to escape the conviction that a more impelling sense and a more practical expression of loving brotherhood is one of the world's greatest needs. Though eighteen centuries and more have past since Christ Jesus taught and exemplified the higher kinship, so-called Christian nations are still finding their assurance of peace only in their preparedness for war; while in their political, economic, and business relations professed Christian men are still so indifferent to the Golden Rule that the story of individual success often becomes a narrative of heartless selfishness and cruel imposition.

To this human condition Christian Science has brought healing through that true sense of God, and man in His likeness, which bases and perpetuates Christian brotherhood, and it is the inspiration, the enlargement, the uplifting joy of this realization which breaks the shackles of social caste, business selfishness, and petty personality. The world has known and talked much of the fraternity of pain; it has practically come to look upon suffering as the prerequisite and ground of sympathy, and some theologies have gone to the extreme of insisting that even God must suffer if He save, thus making the inharmonious and unideal requisite and useful. And yet how apparent it is that the confidences of the miserable but duplicate their ills, and that they can find no profit in either communion or exchange. The nobler brotherhood begins its rule when we recognize our oneness of source, nature, and possessions, and that man lives in the kingdom of good alone. Said St. Paul, "All things are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." For a fraternity of suffering and sorrow Christian Science substitutes that brotherhood of peace and joy whose rising tide surely reached a high water-mark as we sang together in that mighty choir on Communion day. The little things, and the belittling thoughts that would bring distrust and separation,—how they all vanished in that moment when love-for-all opened the door of song; and how blessed will it be in all the coming days if we but retain, as we surely may, this gladdening sense of love's all-embracing brotherhood. Let us not forget that if we ever seem to lose our sense of supremacy over selfishness, our spiritual exaltation or our joy, it is because we are no longer companioning with those great spiritual and redemptive ideals which have been our Leader's constant theme, and which are so splendidly symbolized in the stately courts in which we sang that day. John B. Willis.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

"Blest be the tie that binds"

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access