Editorial January 28, 1911 Issue

PREJUDGMENT

John B. Willis

When one thinks of the unspeakable wrong which in all the ages has attended judgments that have been formed and expressed "without due examination," he no longer wonders at the abrupt, unqualified finality of the ninth commandment. Its positive "Thou shalt not" warns us not only against wilful misrepresentation and evil speaking, but against those exhibitions of prejudice which are the fruitage of hearsay or hasty assumption.

No plane of life and no realm of experience has escaped the blight of that false witnessing which is ofttimes as far removed from any ill purpose as it is from the truth. This unpremeditated offense calls for healing, however, no less than does malicious misrepresentation, and it is only as the Master's just law, "By their fruits ye shall know them," is permitted to govern not only our words, but our thought respecting every person and thing, that we begin to maintain an unprejudiced attitude and live a genuinely fraternal life. Even the predisposition that leads us to refuse to recognize the faults of those we love, wrongs in the end both them and us. The simple truth is that the prejudices which are born of human kinship and love are more likely to work injury than those which are born of jealousy and dislike, and for the reason that they are less easily detected and more difficult to eradicate. How frequently are unwise parents led to do their children a grievous wrong because of a seeming inability or indisposition to see their faults, while friends and lovers sometimes remain blind to weaknesses which, if but recognized and pointed out in a wise way, would be speedily overcome.

Christian Science places the strongest emphasis upon the Master's declaration that both teacher and teaching, men and methods, propositions and plans, friends and so-called foes, are all to be judged in the light of "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." Eschewing no fair criticism, Mrs. Eddy unhesitatingly submitted her statements and her life-work to this test. In the integrity of her purpose she shrank not from the logic of her premises and performance, but asked only that she be understood and that Christian Science be judged in the light of its influence upon the health and morals of those who faithfully try to conform to its Principle and rule. This candid and creditable attitude on her part, together with the fact that Christian Science honors the Master and that its worthy exponents are seeking to be so conformed to the law of his life that they may fulfil his command to heal the sick, bespeaks for this movement the kindly and sympathetic interest of all Christian people, since all that is asked for it is that it have a fair chance to prove again the richer meanings of the gospel.

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