Article April 15, 1911 Issue

DOING NOT SAYING

CLARENCE W. CHADWICK

Practice alone can dignify profession. Profession counts for nothing unless sustained by good works. It is doing and not saying that makes genuine Christian Scientists. The time is already at hand when those calling themselves Christian Scientists must make valid such a high claim. Profession, however scientific it may appear in the letter, will not save them, nor will it save others. The letter of Science, devoid of the spirituality that blesses and heals, can do very little for the health and morals of men; indeed, it may even cause trouble when presented in an aggressive or intrusive way, for the reason that it antagonizes the very elements of mortal belief without correcting them by the truth which heals and saves.

It requires demonstration and not profession to make Christian Science valid to the world. Pulpit oratory and ritualism have failed to establish Jesus' teaching in the hearts of humanity. Intellectual theorizing about spiritual things which one does not clearly understand, does not dignify religion. An intellectual grasp of Christian Science minus the disposition to live its precepts may be compared to "the pride of life" which the apostle tells us "is not of the Father, but is of the world." Much of the world's criticism of what it calls Christian Science is incited by the unwise statements of those who profess belief in its teachings but who fail to make practical what they believe. The meek and humble worker, bereft of worldly pride and self-will, seldom says or does anything to lead another astray. The more he loves Christian Science, the less inclined is he to scatter the pearls of spiritual discernment before those who are but waiting to catch him in his speech. His love for Christian Science makes him honest, and honesty in religion demands works to uphold his profession. The only honest Christian Scientist is the one who practises what he preaches. If he is content to believe, but does not work to understand what he believes, he cannot be called a Christian Scientist. Mrs. Eddy says: "Nothing is more antagonistic to Christian Science than a blind belief without understanding. for such a belief hides Truth and builds on error" (Science and Health, p. 83).

If there is any danger in the path of the student of Science, it is the mental apathy of blind belief, which would lead one to think that, because he has stopped taking medicine, he has become a full-fledged disciple of Christian Science. Such an individual, however good his intentions may be, is not ready to unite with the Church of Christ, Scientist, much less to open an office as a Christian Science practitioner. On the other hand, if he will at once apply himself to the demonstration of what he professes to believe, he will soon be in a position to become a useful member and worker in the church. Every forward step in Christianity, individually and collectively, is one of demonstration. Had not the church lost sight of this fact, Christian healing would have continued uninterruptedly from the time of Jesus down to the present. The dark ages of unbelief were characterized by "I believe," while "I know" was deemed of no special merit. This continued until Christian Science reversed the dictum of the human mind and declared in positive and unmistakable terms the absolute necessity of knowing or understanding God instead of resting upon the uncertainty of human belief.

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