Article January 31, 1914 Issue

Purpose and Prayer

JANE E. HUDDART

At first sight it seems strange that the vision of the Christ and the remarkable conversion of St. Paul came at a time when he was engaged in a very evil enterprise, for it would seem that the divine message could not possibly be heard by one whose thought and endeavor appeared to be wholly set on the destruction of those who were serving God. Looking farther, however, we see that the persecutor and the persecuted were agreed on many points, especially that of the destruction of evil, its elimination from human experience.

Saul of Tarsus thought that he was serving God and humanity by persecuting and trying to exterminate the disciples and followers of Jesus of Nazareth, as witness his own words spoken to the Jews: "I ... was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day .... I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women." It does not seem probable that a man of such high character and ideals as those of Paul could ever have been influenced by mean and petty spite against personality. He did not make war against people, but against what he believed to be evil. It was doubtless a right motive and desire which enabled him to see the vision of the Christ and to perceive right methods of warfare against the common enemy, the seeming power of evil. He then devoted the same zeal and courage to the propaganda of the gospel of Christ which he had shown before in persecuting Christian believers.

Does not this apply to many splendid characters in our own day? Men are devoting time and talent in their effort to destroy evil, the common enemy, and in their present ignorance of what Christian Science is, are classing it as a public menace. When we look at the motives actuating these men, we see how it is just as possible for them to have visions as it was for Paul. We see also why it is that after hearing a sermon or address against Christian Science so many people take up the study of this subject. The man who raises his voice against what he thinks Christian Science to be, is very likely concerned for the welfare of humanity and the uplift and betterment of human conditions. We know that "desire is prayer" (Science and Health, p. 1), and that all right desires reach God. Assuming, as we are disposed to, that all these men earnestly and sincerely desire to learn about God, to know more of the truth that makes free, and because "all things work together for good to them that love God," their good purpose is fulfilled in the fact that more people begin to learn the way of Life as revealed in Christian Science. Jesus said, "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake," which might be rendered, Blessed are ye (humanity), when with even a false sense of service, rendered to Truth, men shall persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you, my followers.

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