Article July 3, 1909 Issue

SINCERITY

FLORENCE ELLIOTT.

Some one has said: "I give thoughts words, and words truth, and truth boldness. She whose honest freeness makes it her virtue to speak what she thinks, will make it her necessity to think what is good." Webster's International Dictionary defines sincerity as "honesty of mind or intention; freedom from simulation, hypocrisy, disguise, or false pretense." In the material world we are very often confronted with the statement that it is impossible for any one to be absolutely truthful, or sincere, and still be able to hold his friends or maintain his position in society; and instances are cited of some daring individual who has attempted to adhere strictly to the truth for one day, and the direful results which followed.

The average business man will also affirm that a certain amount of dissimulation is necessary, in order that he may sell his goods and carry on his business successfully. In Christian Science, however, we know that this is not true. We know that a man who is absolutely honest can succeed in business; we know that no real success is ever gained except through honesty and sincerity, that no true friendship or love can exist without them; that no genuine happiness can be attained in any other way. The man in business who is guided and governed by Principle does not need to use any flavor of deceit in order to sell his goods; the mother who rears her children with the understanding that Truth is reflected in truthfulness, is laying the foundation for their future success and happiness, and the sincerity which makes it possible to tell a friend his faults, with the desire to help him overcome them, is the only true test of friendship.

Sincerity of purpose is also necessary in our study of the Bible and the Christian Science text-book, if we would gain the real good which these books contain, and which is unfolded to us each day as we acquire a better understanding of God and His universe. Our Leader says in Science and Health (p. 192), "We are Christian Scientists, only as we quit our reliance upon that which is false and grasp the true;" and she has proven through her own life that this can be done.

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