Editorial December 2, 1911 Issue

THE ONE MASTER

Annie M. Knott

TOWARD the close of Jesus' earthly ministry he gave some of his most vital and far-reaching instructions to all who desired to listen, whether friends or foes, and it would seem that many of these discourses were given within the precincts of the temple, where also he healed the lame and the blind. What mattered it to him that those high in power demanded his authority for his words and works, and that they were "sore displeased" because of the grateful homage of the children? He had his work to do, and knew that not a word of truth could be lost though heaven and earth should pass away.

In the twenty-third chapter of Matthew we find the great Teacher giving a solemn warning against what in modern terms might be called personal domination. He said, "One is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren." Early in his ministry he had said that no man could serve two masters,—that we must serve God alone. This was probably taken by his auditors as a warning against worldliness, for such has been the general opinion about the passage in recent times, but Christian Science teaches us to look beyond the surface meaning for the real lesson in every case. It is not enough to admit that we should not try to serve "God and mammon," but we should see clearly that we cannot have two masters, God and self, neither can we impose upon others the domination of self-will without forfeiting our loyalty to the one Master, even Christ.

Here we need to discriminate between personal domination in households, organizations, or communities, and the recognition of rightful authority. In the epistles we find many exhortations to those who serve, that they should obey their masters, also to children, that they should obey their parents, and this is certainly right. The employer is the one who should decide as to how work must be done, as otherwise we should have an attempt at personal domination on the part of those who have agreed to serve. The warning of Christ Jesus was directed against the subtle tendency of mortal mind to take control of others' thoughts, words, and actions, so that "heavy burdens and grievous to be borne" are imposed on men through ignorance of the essential truth that all should be left free to follow the guidance of the Christ-mind. The mental servitude which ignores this demand of Truth is no less harmful to the one who blindly, and sometimes unconsciously, imposes it upon others, than it is upon those who to avoid friction submit to the habitual dictation of some person or persons. Spiritual and mental freedom is a divine gift to all men, and woe betide the one who, either in thoughtlessness or with ill intent, would rob others of this essential to their growth and unfoldment; in brief, to their salvation. Some who ought to be loved and cherished are feared and shunned because of their tendency to take control of others, in utter forgetfulness of the one master, "even Christ."

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