Editorial May 14, 1910 Issue

THE CALLING OF READERS

Archibald McLellan

Some of our friends have asked us to sound a note of warning in regard to the tendency upon the part of branch churches to "call" Readers from other fields, in preference to electing from their own membership to these important offices. With this request we gladly comply by republishing an editorial which appeared in the Sentinel several years ago, experience having but confirmed the convictions therein expressed. It was as follows:—

"We are informed that some of the smaller churches, when electing new Readers, have been impressed with a lack of available material within their own ranks, and have felt compelled to draw upon other fields, a condition that should not exist after three years of active public work. The principal lesson to be drawn from this seeming lack of material is that there is need of more specific as well as more general preparation for every branch of Christian Science work. While the healing of the sick is the most important and convincing evidence of the truth of Christian Science, there is other work which must be performed by those who have the welfare of our Cause at heart.

"Christian Scientists, in these early days of denominational growth and expansion, should realize that the call, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,' may come to them at any moment, and they should be prepared for it. No matter how small in membership a church may be, nor how limited the experience of its members in public affairs, it should have within itself material for all its needs. For the same reason that Christian Scientists should be ever ready to heal the sick, they should be ever ready to preach the gospel. Neither can be properly done without earnest preparation and diligent study. Those without training for public work of this character, should know that it is never too late late to acquire the necessary preparation.

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