Editorial December 19, 1914 Issue

Essentials

Annie M. Knott

All thinkers are agreed that if people would consent to deal more with essential truth, not only in religious questions but in those of every-day experience, their differences of opinion would largely disappear. That this is not always the case, only proves that few are willing to look beneath the surface in order to get at the real issues involved, which from the Christian Science view-point means that they cling to the material sense of things and thus miss the spiritual. Material sense argues that the material is tangible and substantial, hence essential. Christian Science denies this, and its denial finds support from Christ Jesus' words, "Labor not for the meat which perisheth." In other words, if we have the essentials, the spiritual things, we shall lack nothing. In the third chapter of Revelation we find a sharp rebuke to the Laodicean church, which had said, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing," when it lacked the real things, and so the revelator declared that it did not even know it was "poor, and blind, and naked."

At the Christmas season people think of what they can give others, and it would be interesting to inquire how many take account of their spiritual possessions at this time to see how rich they are "toward God," as Christ Jesus said, for the real value of all giving can be measured in this way alone. Nor is this a far-fetched idea, for it deals with the vital things of life. We must ourselves be true, else we cannot give truly even the smallest token of good will. We must also be truly thankful to the infinite source of all good, if we would radiate even a little of the sunlight of gratitude to those who have been good to us. If we have forgotten to be just in thought, word, and deed, we may well pause to remember that he whose natal day Christians seek to celebrate, came to establish justice in the earth no less than mercy. Lest we forget any of these things, we should turn our faces toward the light at the Christmas season, even as the earth is turning toward the sun. As we do this with real heart-hunger for righteousness, for more of love and truth, we shall recall with a new sense our revered Leader's words in the poem "Christ and Christmas," when she asks,—

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Editorial

A Continuous Christmas