Article October 21, 1911 Issue

"USE HOSPITALITY ... WITHOUT GRUDGING"

JEANIE C. E. ANDREWS

There are four instances in the New Testament which show the importance attached by early followers of our Master to the duty of showing hospitality. Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, enjoins it on the whole Christian brotherhood, and in his epistles to Timothy and to Titus, when speaking of the type of Christian to be chosen as bishop of the church, he says that it must be one "given to hospitality." It is evident, too, that he deemed this an essential quality in one who would shepherd the fold of Christ, for we find it joined to such requirements as these: vigilance, sobriety, good behavior, the love of good men. It is thus seen that to show hospitality was an essential mark of the advanced student of Christ Jesus' teaching in St. Paul's day, and therefore an essential mark of the true student in all days.

Since this is so, it is well for us to ask ourselves what we conceive to be the meaning of hospitality. Webster defines it as "entertainment of strangers or guests without reward, or with kind and generous liberality," and this definition is very generally accepted as adequate. But how little any word definition can express of what hospitality has meant to each of us. Thought lingers lovingly over many scenes of gentle and sweet home life in which we have shared as loved and welcome guests. Memory turns gladly to pictures of courteous, open-hearted manhood, of sweet and gracious womanhood, of happy, laughing childhood; it recalls the hours spent in stately homes where all that material wealth could procure of comfort and enjoyment was lavished upon us, — homes where all the treasures of art were open to us, where the results of intellectual work, of scientific research, of earnest literary labor, of clear, far-seeing poetic inspiration were unfolded to us; homes, too, where (though the treasures of wealth and learning seemed less prominent) we drank deep drafts of cheer and shared the daily work and duties which in their expression of sweet, simple human affection make of a house a home.

In every case, whether sharing the experiences of rich or poor, simple or learned, one wish was always manifested, one desire always present, namely, the desire to make us know our welcome, to give us of their best, to be kind to us, to provide for us a season of sweet refreshment. Beautiful and sweet, however, as we feel the human sense of hospitality to be, and gladly as we own our privilege in giving and receiving it, as Christian Scientists we must look beyond this fleeting human sense to find the true meaning of the divine command to "use hospitality ... without grudging." In order rightly to obey it, it is of paramount necessity that we recognize what it is to which in divine Science we must be hospitable. In Science and Health (p. 269) Mrs. Eddy declares that "metaphysics resolves things into thoughts, and exchanges the objects of sense for the ideas of Soul." It is clear, therefore, that in the understanding of hospitality in Science we must leave behind us the belief that the entertainment of one set of human personalities by another set of human personalities, with the best that they can offer in matter, is a fulfilment of the divine idea of which this belief is only the counterfeit. Properly to entertain any one, hospitality must be extended mentally to all right ideas. Thus, to be hospitable to one another without grudging, is to be hospitable to the other's point of view, and that without envy, rivalry, or narrowness. It is to have a real desire to recognize the true motive, aim, purpose, and excellence of one another, to welcome every inspiration, every gleam of light another shows us, to try to see and value the treasure of ideas which they offer us, to share ours with them, to put no one off with the second best but gladly and generously to give them mentally our best and highest, and to give with the knowledge that they can value and understand it.

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

Send a comment to the editors
NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Article
CRITICISM
October 21, 1911
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit