Article August 29, 1908 Issue

It is well to have faith even in the absence of knowledge,...

Alfred Farlow

The Mid-Western

It is well to have faith even in the absence of knowledge, but it is far better to have understanding. One's confidence in any given thing is greatly increased with an exact knowledge of it. Surely if God is to be trusted by mortals, it is needful that He should be well known by them. The statement which Paul made to the Athenians on Mars' hill could be applied to this age. To say, "Ye are too superstitious," is equivalent to declaring, Ye know too little. We depend too much upon blindly drifting through the world instead of learning the truth and laboring intelligently.

Science is defined as "knowledge; comprehension or understanding of facts or principles; what is known concerning a subject; a branch of knowledge." Christian Science is the exact understanding of all the essentials of Christianity. The Master declared, "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." To have a correct, positive, certain sense of God in contradistinction to a mere opinion as to what He is, and to understand His Son, His offspring, as His image and likeness, and to deport one's self accordingly, lifts one above mortal frailty into that state wherein existence is substantial and permanent. The sole duty of the Christian is to manifest the will of God, to be Godlike—to be the image and likeness of God. It is therefore apparent that we must understand what God is, His very nature and essence, in order that we may know what we have to do to be like Him.

One whose life conforms to the divine model supersedes the necessity of creeds and doctrines. Such a one is guided aright by the Principle of righteousness and has no need of rules and regulations. He who has a comprehensive and clear understanding of God, and is striving to be like Him, shapes his course accordingly, and makes rapid progress heavenward, for he moves intelligently and not experimentally. Each step is a stride for eternity, which he never needs to retrace. As the study of mathematics includes the use of the examples for practice, so the study of Christian Science includes the demonstration of its teaching. In her text-book Mrs. Eddy has truly written: "We must recollect that Truth is demonstrable when understood and that good is not understood until demonstrated" (Science and Health, p. 323). No one can be sure of his understanding of this Science without using his knowledge, for the results of practice are the proofs of his understanding.

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