Editorial June 15, 1912 Issue

HIS PLACE, THE FIRING LINE

John B. Willis

Every type of human nature is sure to be subject to tests which will disclose its weakest point, and in the instance of those who have splendid capabilities—good judgment, good sense, fine ideals, and forcefulness, this weak point is not infrequently found to be a willingness to turn away in silent weariness, if not disgust, from a church or social problem, instead of standing by and courageously working it out. Their fault often discloses their peculiarly valuable equipment in other respects to serve precisely where they are. They may have the discernment, the breadth of view, the analytical sense, and the convincing address which are requisite to the illumination of the innocence or obtuseness that is being preyed upon and led about by some self-assured, dominating mortal thought, and yet their modesty, their perception of the inherent antagonism between the way things are being done and the way they would do them, or their averseness to the parliamentary quibbling, the finicky superstition, and the fussy narrowness which sometimes seem to characterize and constitute the ruling factors in a given situation, lead the big busy man or woman to say, "I can't follow their lead, and for the sake of peace I guess I'd better stay away." And so, while paying their dues, they keep out of it and do not attend the business meetings. They may even congratulate themselves over their self-command and their consideration for the peace of all concerned, while in fact they are robbing the cause with which they are known to be identified of that which it greatly needs, viz., those who, knowing the right, are willing patiently to work and wait for the right.

These good people need to be reminded that humanity's every prized privilege and possession has been the direct fruitage of resistance to this temptation. The men of vision and of parts who have been wise enough, unselfish enough, and strong enough to stick to the problem in hand, and patiently endure a lot of things, have been the channels through which our best blessings have come. Every hero of history, Washington, Mazzini, Lincoln, and all the rest of them,—especially Mrs. Eddy,—has steadily refused to exercise the privilege of letting things alone. All have had to refuse to play into the hands of an established order and have become non-conformists, and this is the supreme call of Christian Science today, that we "be not conformed" to the reign of unideal mortal thought, but be "transformed by the renewing" of the mind, which certainly means not the shirking of duty, but wakefulness to and readiness for its every demand. "Never absent from your post, never off guard, never ill-humored, never unready to work for God,"—thus in her "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 116) has Mrs. Eddy defined the worthy attitude of the men and women, whatever their caliber, who are sincerely interested in the success of the cause to which she consecrated herself in such a splendidly unreserved way.

It is trying, exceedingly so, sometimes, to get on with the pettiness, bickering, and false zeal of some mortals, but to steal away or stay at home to avoid the trial is often to play directly into the hands of the self-seeking and the reactionary, and there is absolutely no worthy course to take save that of the man who holds on to his ideal and knows mightily that "one on God's side is a majority" and will win, not today perhaps—and that's where the patience of the saints comes in—but it will win.

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