THE TALKING HABIT
When thrilled with a new idea, the tendency of human nature is to talk about it. It has, however, been said, that "the less men think, the more they talk." This is especially true when it comes to religion. People will even pass over the weather to engage in a controversy upon religious topics.
The Cause of Christian Science has not wholly escaped the "talking-much-and-saying-nothing" habit. Many people who have become interested in Christian Science had for years allowed themselves to be prejudiced as the result of senseless or careless statements by some who called themselves Christian Scientists. Idle talk upon such subjects as the unreality of evil and the nothingness of matter is not calculated to attract to the teachings of the Master people who allow themselves to judge by what seems patent to the outward senses. The best time to talk upon such subjects is after some tangible proof of healing has been given to these people that their thinking is along wrong lines, and even then the premature declarations of absolute scientific truths are not conducive to favorable results. The neophyte in Science is too apt to be possessed with a zeal which is "not according to knowledge." His intentions are humane, but he lacks the wisdom and discretion necessary to convey the right thought at the right time to those whom he would bless. Without these virtues he is very liable to fall an unconscious victim to the talking habit.
A very earnest young student was once invited to spend an evening with a minister of his acquaintance to discuss Christian Science. The invitation was accepted. Passages of Scripture were of course freely quoted, some of which the minister assented to, while others he vehemently opposed. This student had proven very little of the teachings of Science and Health, having read the book through once or twice only, and was none too familiar with the Bible. His was a zeal without knowledge. During the course of the argument,—for that is really what it was,—the student cited this quotation from the Bible: "They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God;" which was immediately contradicted, upon the ground that no such passage occurred in the Bible. The Bible was called for, and the quotation found and read aloud to the minister. He still doubted, and asked to see for himself. He found the text just as it had been quoted, and became so confounded and apparently angered that he literally threatened to dismiss in a very forcible manner the student whom he had invited to his house, if he persisted in explaining any such "pernicious doctrine." The student knew just enough to keep calm, and this saved him, but did not convert his host. The conversation continued until after midnight, and the visitor departed. The lesson was a valuable one to the student; but some eighteen years have passed and there is still no evidence of his preacher friend having become interested in Christian Science.
Many others interested in Christian Science have no doubt had similar experiences before learning to keep a seal upon their lips. Practitioners frequently meet with people who tell of their erroneous views of Christian Science gleaned from the thoughtless expressions of some neophyte student. One lady asked this question: "Can you assure me that God will forgive me for all the dreadful things I have had to say about Christian Science? I have recently read just a little upon the subject, and I find that I am entirely wrong." She went on to say that she had heard different ones talk upon the subject of Christian Science, and had come to the conclusion that it was anything but Christian, and being herself a victim of the talking habit, she had been free to tell others what she thought of Christian Science. The woman was quickly healed, which settled the thought of God's forgiveness in her case, and she is now daily proving her faith by her works and talking a great deal less. Many others are likewise doing far less talking than they did on first becoming interested in the Science.
In some instances young students of Science and Health have held meetings for the purpose of exchanging views upon different passages from the Bible and Science and Health, as found in the Lesson-Sermons. Such efforts would indicate a certain amount of zeal and earnestness, but experience has proven that the best results cannot be obtained in this way, and through the columns of the Christian Science Sentinel the Field has been advised that it is not wise for Christian Scientists to meet promiscuously to read and to exchange thoughts upon the Lesson-Sermons, but to leave these Lessons for the one Mind to unfold to them in their own individual study of them or when hearing them read without comment by the Readers at our Sunday services.
Christian Science lays all stress upon doing, and Christian Scientists may agree with Shakespeare that "talkers are not good doers." First impressions of this Science are not always scientific; hence the danger of conveying the wrong thought to those who will receive it as fact instead of mere belief or opinion. The most satisfactory way of presenting Christian Science to people is to prove to them the healing power of divine Love. Our Leader is striving in every way possible to safeguard the letter of Science from the marauding tendencies of the human intellect in its persistent attempts to drag the inspired statements of Science and Health down into the mire of human belief. If the human intellect could explain Christian Science, there might be some excuse for more talk and less work; but such is not the case. Demonstration alone can impart the spiritual animus of its text-book as well as of the Bible.
Centuries of preaching have failed to reveal and to reinstate the gospel of healing. Talking has had its day, and has signally failed to reveal the kingdom of heaven on earth. Proof, practice, and not profession, is now demanded of Christ's followers, and those who have grasped the spirit of Christian Science must see to it that no stumblingblocks are placed in the way of honest seekers of the truth through careless talking upon a subject that can best be explained and assimilated through quiet systematic study and living of the precepts which it teaches. Christian Science is too sacred a subject to have either its theory or practice dragged into the by-paths of erring human belief. "The song of Christian Science is, 'Work—work—work—watch and pray' " (Messages to The Mother Church, p. 20). When this sentiment is put into practice, the talking habit will have disappeared.
