Editorial November 23, 1912 Issue

"THINK ON THESE THINGS"

John B. Willis

The Christian life has two aspects which can never be dissociated, namely, right thinking and right doing. St. James emphasizes the importance of the latter in that familiar passage which closes with, "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone;" while St. Paul speaks for the significance of our mentality to life when he counsels the Philippians that if there be any true, honest, just, pure, and lovely things, "any virtue or any praise," they should "think on these things." As a whole, professed Christians devote far more attention to the correction of their conduct than to the puurification of their thought, and in this they make the fundamental mistake of seeking to remedy effects while leaving their cause undisturbed.

Christian Science brings one a clearer apprehension of the vast and vital implications of the proverb which saith that as one "thinketh in his heart, so is he," a proverb which Christ Jesus elucidated when he pronounced upon the pharisaical hypocrisy that was zealous regarding the cleanliness of the outside of the cup, while indifferent to its foulness within. Most Christian people have the feeling that they must be wholesome both within and without, but in its teaching that Mind is the only agent, that all force is mental, and that health is to be gained through the spiritualization of thought, Christian Science at once gives needed outline and definiteness to this conviction. Moreover, it leads its students to seek for right-mindedness not only that they may be good, but that they may do good. They see that God rules and must ever rule in and through the Christ-consciousness, and that the realization and mental declaration of divine truth may indeed move mountains.

The true Christian ministry is thought of more and more as a mental service, and it becomes large and enlarging for the Christian Scientist as the possibility of the removal of every asserted limit to the power of right thought is made manifest through demonstration. As the young Nazarene worked at his bench he was ever thinking great thoughts for his fellow men, thinking true thoughts for Truth, and thus he laid the foundations of that kingdom of thinkers for God and the right, of which we have been made citizens through Christian Science. There is no sweeter consciousness for the sunset hour, no softer pillow for one's head at night, than the remembrance that during all the day he has not only been saying and doing kindly things and helpful, but that he has been thinking right about every person and event it has brought him, been reckoning every experience with respect to its spiritual value, been seeing for every person his better selfhood; in a word, been living in this initial way the perfect life. This achievement is possible to every Christian Scientist, and for his clearer vision of it he gratefully recognizes his indebtedness to Mrs. Eddy.

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