Article June 12, 1909 Issue

THE GOLDEN RULE

ABBY BEECHER ABBOTT

The great Teacher said: "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets;" and he gave this as a practical rule to govern all mankind in their journey heavenward. The understanding of this rule makes it easy to occupy the place of another when passing judgment or trying to estimate the character. The elimination of self, when differences arise, will often avert discord. When we take into consideration the differing human opinions on any subject, we pray for patience and a larger, broader grasp of any question, with a realization of the fact that Science is so far-reaching that it overshadows all petty jealousy and mere human opinions, and turns and overturns until the highest condition of thought is manifested.

It has been very helpful to me, in my work as a member of the church, to make a personal application of the Golden Rule—to put myself in the place of the different officers in order to see how I would like to be treated. If I were a Reader, I should desire the love and confidence of the congregation. I should wish them to help me give the message of Love free from all personality or any condemning or critical thought. I should not want them to think how I looked, nor how I spoke, but to know that I was quick to hear and obey divine Love, and thus help me to realize the sacredness of the office and to know that the thought voiced is the word of God, with healing in its wings. If I were a director, I should wish the members to realize that intelligent appreciation and hearty cooperation do much to help the officers to bear the burden of service; that my only interest would be to advance the Cause of Christ, and help the Readers to bring out unity in the outward workings as well as in the spiritual thought of the church. If I were a Sunday School superintendent, I should want the children to know that obedience and promptness can be taught better if it is exemplified by the pupils. If I wished them to be loyal and kind to me, I must show loving loyalty to all the officers of the church. If I were a teacher in the Sunday School, I should wish the superintendent to feel that I was always ready to carry out any of his plans for the greater good to all, without consulting my own personal likes or dislikes.

To sum it all up, the carrying out of the Golden Rule would be obedience to law and order, with no thought of personality, but a broader, freer basis of what it means to do unto others what we would like to have done unto us. Mrs. Eddy said a short time ago (Sentinel, May 23,1908), that "doing unto others as we would that they do by us is immortality's self. Intrepid, self-oblivious love fulfils the law and is self-sustaining and eternal."

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