Article December 25, 1909 ISSUE

GOD GLORIFIED

J. ALLEN BARRIS.

As we listen to the testimonies given at our Wednesday evening meetings and hear the expressions of gratitude to friends and practitioners, we are reminded that Christian Science honors God supremely. We are told in our text-book that "the one Mind only is entitled to honor," and that we should "give to Mind the glory, honor, ... everlastingly due its holy name" (Science and Health, pp. 183, 143).

In the seventh chapter of Luke's Gospel, we have the story of Jesus' raising of the widow's son from the dead, in which we are told that when the multitude saw this deed performed "they glorified God," and in the selfsame hour Jesus was able to heal many of their infirmities and plagues, which would imply that their willingness and ability to glorify God and to recognize Him as the source of the wonderful power displayed by Jesus, enabled them to receive the benefits of the healing power. It is noticeable that they "glorified God," rather than Jesus, the one who apparently was performing the so-called miracle; and we see throughout the whole career of Jesus the effort on his part to turn the thought of the people away from himself to God. He said, "I can of mine own self do nothing;' and again, "Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God," and again he said, "The servant is not greater than his lord."

So is it with those who practise the Science of Christianity today: the desire is to turn thought away from human personality to the true source and Giver of all good—to God, to whom be "glory and majesty, dominion and power." This does not mean that we should not be grateful to those who have helped us, but there is a distinction to be made between the source of the stream and its channel, between the master and the servant. We may be grateful to the one, but we should glorify the other; and according to Webster, "to glorify" means "to place first." In expressing our gratitude, therefore, it is well that while we "render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's," we should not forget to "render unto God the things that are God's."

As a bright and shining example of this Christlike spirit we have the life of Mrs. Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science. There is today no one of any prominence whatever whose personality is so little known, except through her writings, as that of our beloved Leader, who during the forty-five years of her ministry has been pointing her followers away from herself to God and endeavoring gently and lovingly to lead this present generation into a knowledge of the impresonal Truth. There has been no seeking for popularity, no striving for effects, and at the same time no faltering of steps; and today, as she herself has said, she still finds herself "a willing disciple at the heavenly gate, waiting for the Mind of Christ" (Science and Health, Pref., p. ix.). During periods of persecution, like the great Master, she has opened not her mouth, but meekly and quietly gone on her appointed way, "clad in the panoply of Love" (Ibid., p. 571); and so successfully has she demonstrated the truth which she has been teaching, that every attack has fallen by the way, and the wrath of man has been made to praise God so effectually that today Christian Science stands out in bolder relief than ever before upon the consciousness of mankind. And this solely as the result of demonstration. Day after day, in comparative seclusion, she devotes her time to the establishment of this great truth so that it can never again be lost, but that we of today and those of future generations may have the true guidance which will enable us to work out our own salvation, and to come into a realization that the kingdom of heaven is indeed at hand. Could there be a nobler work, and could a greater gift be given to a sinful and sorrowful world?

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