Article February 23, 1907 Issue

TRUE RICHES

LAURA CAREY CONANT

MANY professing Christians, praying daily that they may be of use in the world and God will show them how to work in His vineyard, how to be followers of the Master, confess that they do not know how to follow. They admit that they fail to bring joy to the sorrowful and despondent, that they are unable to lift the burden of fear from those around them, that they cannot alleviate suffering, that they feel utterly helpless in the presence of so-called incurable disease. Christian Science teaches us how to perform the "works" which Jesus declared should be done by those who really walk in his footsteps. It gives us the understanding of Truth so that we can heal the sick, cast out the devils, or evils, of sorrow, despondency, and fear, and with un faltering faith stand beside the couch of the hopeless sufferer and raise him to health and happiness. Christian Science brings to us peace and joy in place of unrest and discontent. It gives us an abiding sense of the presence of God in place of the barrenness of human life. It brings us health and harmony in place of disease and discord. It places our treasure in heaven instead of in the earth. It exalts our ambition.

Though the desire for happiness is universal, few possess it. Many think they would be happy if they only had greater success in gaining material possessions, in attaining social distinction, in winning worldly fame. In Christian Science one learns that happiness is spiritual, that it proceeds from goodness, and not from the abundance of material things which he may possess. Accompanying the desire for material riches often come thoughts which bring with them much unhappiness,—envy, discontent, selfishness, greed, and sometimes a dishonest thought,—the wish to get something for nothing, the willingness to profit at another's expense, also the unhappy and unchristian ambition to out-shine one's neighbors, the desire for precedence. In the writings of Paul we read. "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another;" again, "They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition."

A man may think that because he has been able to lay aside a certain amount of money, that he has thereby made great gain, but what is gain? Paul teaches that "godliness with contentment is great gain." Then it would follow that true riches are mental, and only as we are growing in holiness are we gaining the riches which can never be taken from us. The world thinks that riches give power, but with clearer vision Mrs. Eddy declares. "The good you do and embody gives you the only power obtainable" (Science and Health, p. 192), and she urges us to have no ambition nor aim other than that of holiness,

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATION