Editorial January 3, 1914 Issue

Winsomeness

John B. Willis

The burden of St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians is a plea that the Christian disciple awaken to the preeminence of the privilege and power to which he is called, and in the splendid optimism of his faith he dares to refer to the time when all faithful believers shall attain "unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ"! As one thinks longingly of the possibilities pertaining to such a spiritual realization, he does well to remember that there are two relations which must be maintained to effect a truly saving influence, namely, contact with God, or inspiration, and contact with men, or expression,—the word spoken, and its tactful and discreet utterance.

Of God, divine Principle, Mrs. Eddy has said that He expresses both "Science and art throughout His creation" (Science and Health, p. 507), and these qualities must of course the activity of His image or reflection. This constitutes and explains the greatness and glory of the Wayshower. It was the perfection with which he revealed the nature and capabilities of Truth. The wisdom of Science is the dominant fact in the ideal life, and when we remember the stumblings and shortcomings of the human in all history, who can measure our occasion for rejoicing that the divinity which would make our living victorious is unaffected by the weakness and unworthiness of our Christian discipleship.

The concepts and ascetic devotions of the so-called "holy men" of India, seem utterly defeating both to their own spiritual advance and to their helpfulness to others; nevertheless, without doubt the religious idea, thought of God and of spiritual gain, is their leading impulsion. The pall of ignorance and superstition rests upon what would otherwise have proved a redemptive purpose. This may seem an extreme illustration of the degrading significance of false sense to spiritual aspiration, and yet how often today does the human hindrance to the rule of the Christ-idea assume in effect these fakir proportions and rob us of the fruitage which would certainly be ours were we as wise as we are wellintentioned. Savingly attractive power is attained only when an ideal concept is expressed in an ideal way. The vision is gained through revelation—it is an intuition. The expression is, for the most part, acquired only through schooling; we have to learn to be wise and winsome, and upon no other thought perchance can we more profitably meditate these forelooking days of the new year.

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