Article January 25, 1913 Issue

TRUE SYMPATHY

ELIZABETH EARL JONES.

It is by no means uncommon for Christian Scientists to be condemned, by those who have but a superficial knowledge of this teaching, for their so-called lack of sympathy. Perhaps they are unsympathetic from the worldly point of view, and yet they have a practical way of expressing sympathy which is certainly deserving of commendation, in that it lovingly and tenderly removes the occasion on which the sufferer bases his appeal to his friends. This course is in accord with our Leader's teaching on page 367 of Science and Health, where she outlines the method to be followed with those to whom sin and its resultant penalty, disease and death, are all too obvious facts; namely, that "the tender word and Christian encouragement of an invalid, pitiful patience with his fears and the removal of them, are better than hecatombs of gushing theories, stereotyped borrowed speeches, and the doling of arguments, which are but so many parodies on legitimate Christian Science, alfame with divine Love."

True sympathy, then, as understood in Christian Science, is love tenderly descending to the human sense of need and lifting it into a consciousness of the infinite goodness of God. It is not difficult to picture to oneself the loneliness and longing for human society and humanly loving care which must have rent the heart of the poor leper of Palestine, isolated from his friends and kindred, though daily in sight of them. Wherever he went he must ring a bell, cry out the hateful words, "Unclean, unclean," and see his fellow creatures flee in terror. When he saw Jesus, hope welled up in his heart. There flashed before his vision a glowing picture. He saw himself restored to health, his return to home and loved ones, only to see the picture fade away because he would not be permitted to approach Jesus. In despair he sent forth his pitiful appeal: "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean."

And what did Jesus do? He saw in a moment the leper's need. He approached the poor sufferer and laid a brotherly hand upon him, saying: "I will; be thou clean." Can we not imagine the heart healing, as well as the healing of body, which followed that Christly human touch? And is it not ours, through the understanding of God gained in Christian Science, to repeat this true sympathy, such as Jesus exercised, this ministry of blessing, in the instance of every one who will accept it?

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