Article June 22, 1912 Issue

"OUR ONLY PREACHERS"

MARY TRAMMELL SCOTT.

The Christian Science church is unique among churches in discarding personal preaching. There is probably no other organization which is so entirely based upon and held together by the teaching upon which it is founded, rather than by the personality of any of its followers or any representative of its cause; and no one act of its Founder and Leader, Mrs. Eddy, affords greater proof of her inspiration and divine leading than her ordination of the impersonal pastor for all Christian Science churches.

Every Sunday the announcement is made to friends who visit our churches that "the Bible and the Christian Science text-book are our only preachers" (Explanatory note in Christian Science Quarterly). These words fall gratefully upon tired ears and hungry hearts, as it gradually dawns upon the waiting thought that here at least there is to be no display of oratory; and St. Paul's sermons are called to mind, whose speech and preaching "was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." A large part of the world is weary of being preached to. They welcome gladly the inspired "sermon undivorced from truth, uncontaminated and unfettered by human hypotheses, and divinely authorized" (Explanatory note).

Notwithstanding this wise ordination of our Leader, and the satisfaction the Christian Scientist finds in this pastor, the habit of preaching seems to be deeply embedded in human thought, and it is difficult for the practitioner or teacher or follower of Christian Science not to feel that he is sometimes called upon to preach. Especially at a Wednesday evening meeting, when testimonies come forth slowly and a pause is feared, some one feels responsible for the going forward of the "ark of the Lord," and this self-constituted preacher thinks that because the meeting has been slow there is error abroad. He generally begins by making the silence more real in alluding to it, and then proceeds to tell the congregation not what Christian Science does, but what Christian Scientists should do and be. The visitor is reminded of the old orthodox preaching when he hears the Christian Science members admonished to be loving, obedient, and grateful, etc. He feels disappointed. His immediate need is to know if Christian Science heals the sick, and if the Master's teaching, with "signs following," has been rediscovered. His hungry heart calls out for a crumb of comfort and his aching body begs for surcease from pain. He has heard that Christian Science is a healing religion, and he has come to this meeting to find out what its followers have to say about it. Has he not a right to feel that we are giving him a stone for bread when we give a sermonet instead of a testimonial?

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

"OUR ONLY PREACHERS"

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access