Article April 5, 1913 Issue

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST

MAJOR WILLIAM CYPRIAN BRIDGE.

It is not surprising that many of those who are moved to the acceptance of the gospel of Christian Science by some personal experience of physical healing or by some deliverance from a besetting sin against which they have hitherto striven in vain, should at first fail to realize the full import of such acceptance; and the more strikingly dramatic in its suddenness and completeness has been their deliverance from bondage, the more likely is this failure to manifest itself. The unprejudiced and earnest inquirer after the truth is, by very reason of his sincerity, in a condition to reap the full benefit of the promise, "Seek, and ye shall find;" and the pages of the Christian Science text-book set forth this glorious truth so unequivocally and so convincingly that to him who is thus ready to accept it no prolonged mental conflict is necessary before he cries in the fulness of his awakening inspiration, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief"! But the mere fact that light comes to him thus quickly often militates against the early realization on his part of all that the acceptance of this message of Truth involves, if only for the reason that, lost in contemplation of the great central fact which it enunciates, namely, man's spiritual nature, he forgets that there is much for him to do in order to be able to demonstrate this spirituality.

Even a partial perception of all the blessedness which Christian Science offers to the world, produces in those whose consciousness is thus touched a sense of elation and enthusiasm such as no mundane experience can ever bring, and there is always the possibility that he to whom this revelation comes will yield to the temptation of being content to revel, for a time at least, in the contemplation of his newfound hope and peace rather than to ask himself: "What have I to do next? what are the duties which this revelation imposes upon me?" Not a few unconsciously stifle the inward prompting to advance along the road to heaven and harmony by yielding to the suggestion that any substantial progress is only for the privileged few, and that the generality must be content to reflect the light emanating from a select company of those who are sometimes spoken of as "advanced Scientists" rather than themselves assist in adding brilliancy to the illumination. This attitude finds direct condemnation in Mrs. Eddy's writings, as when she says: "If honest, he [the disciple] will be in earnest from the start, and gain a little each day in the right direction, till at last he finishes his course with joy;" and again, "Final deliverance from error, is not reached through paths of flowers nor by pinning one's faith without works to another's vicarious effort" (Science and Health, pp. 21, 22). Experience, however, soon brings home to whoever adopts the non possumus attitude the impossibility of long continuance in it. As our Leader has said, "Progress is the law of God" (p. 233), and he who does not progress, which is equivalent to saying, does not seek to progress, is morally certain to retrogress. Indeed, as we all know, progress is today, as it always has been, the test of worth, and the reproach of unprogressiveness is one of the greatest that can be hurled at an individual or a community.

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

Send a comment to the editors
NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Article
OBEDIENCE TO RULE
April 5, 1913
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit