Article June 29, 1912 Issue

TRUE INDEPENDENCE

WILLIAM BEARD.

As I sit quietly at home on Independence day, reading and otherwise enjoying my freedom, I am reminded that we as Christian Scientists have even greater cause for gratitude than we have as ordinary citizens. In addition to having been released from the political bonds imposed by a personal ruler, we have been freed from a much greater bondage, the bondage of sin, disease, and death, imposed by ignorance of man's "inalienable rights" (Science and Health, p. 106). At a time when humanity was well-nigh over-powered by these heavy burdens, our great Exemplar came on earth and showed mankind how they might be free from all these things. He demonstrated that the laws under which they were laboring had no power other than that which they themselves gave to them; he destroyed sin, healed disease, and overcame death, in support of his claims, and said that men in all times to come could do the same if they believed on him. He also said they might accomplish even greater works than he did, and gave them the final benediction, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end."

For several hundred years, these commands were heeded and with success; but again men began to follow other gods, and finally seemed to lose sight of all that had been given them, till, within the past half century, a woman rediscovered these blessed truths and gave them to suffering humanity again. So positive was she that she had rediscovered the truth, that she stood calmly alone amid all the jeers and sneers of the world. She had, at first, no one to hold up her hands, but she stood in the strength of this great truth until sufferers began to reach out after it like drowning men, and when they were saved others followed, until finally hundreds of thousands stood at her side helping her to proclaim to the world that we have the truth which makes men free.

This great multitude has been freed from bonds such as no earthly hand could remove, and they celebrate every day as one of independence, and they are realizing that each day brings with it greater freedom; that God's kingdom has come, and that divine Love is ever present; that both ruler and subjects are ruled and governed by divine Principle, "the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever;" unchangeable and eternal. It is for these things that we as Christian Scientists have boundless cause to be grateful. We have been shown how we may be free and how we may begin to attain that condition which we are commanded to strive for in the words of Jesus, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

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