Article February 28, 1914 Issue

Let Your Light Shine

HUGH P. SMITH

Every student of Christian Science should constantly bear in mind the admonition given by our Master when he said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works," for it is impossible to calculate the immense amount of good that is wrought by the example of one who earnestly strives to live in the knowledge and love of God, of good. Unknown to the individual the example of his life may be shedding a ray of light upon the path of one who is blindly groping his way in darkness, suffering, and doubt, who does not know the power of good and the nothingness and unreality of evil, but to whom, on the contrary, evil has appeared very real and more powerful than good. To such a one, the example of the daily life of a Christian Scientist will come as a message of hope, like a beacon light to a stormtossed mariner. He will wonder why Christian Scientists are so happy, so full of love for all mankind, so willing to hold out a helping hand to those who like himself are being tossed about by the tempestuous waves of material doubt and fear; he will wonder why love is showered upon him where formerly he was an outcast, unsought, uncared for, and despised by his fellow men. He sees the light shining in the darkness, and it leads him out of the wilderness of sin in which he has so long been groping, into the light and security of Truth, Life, and Love. Then he ceases to wonder, for he has learned that God is Love and man is His image and likeness, that as such he can reflect only Love, and that in the light of this understanding there can be no fear, sorrow, or pain.

The writer has very great cause to be grateful to Christian Science. Before he first heard of it, he was dwelling in the depths of misery, and to all appearance there was no hope of his ever becoming free from the chains of sin which had tied him down for many years. There was no happiness in life, and his only conception of God was of a being to be dreaded, who sent all the misery and sickness which was met with on every side as a punishment and for the good of mankind. It was not until he became acquainted with some Christian Scientists that he began to realize that the God he had feared was a God of love. It was the example set by the lives of these people, which first made him stop for a minute in his downward course. He watched them and listened to their conversation, and he there found a peace which he had never known before. Sin and disease were treated as unrealities, as having no power or presence, since God is All. He learned that these evils were not sent from God, as he had supposed, but were the outcome of mortal sinful thoughts and beliefs. He found that love for one's fellow men took the place of the constant malice to which he had been accustomed, the unkind and uncharitable words about others were conspicuous by their absence, and peace and harmony reigned in the place of strife and discord. Is it to be wondered at that a better understanding of the religion which could bring about such results was earnestly desired? Now, God no longer appears to him as a dread and fearful personality, but has been proved to be omnipotent Love, the Father–Mother God whose arms are always outstretched in loving protection over all who put their trust in Him alone.

What Christian Science has done in this one instance, it is doing every day. It is sowing its seeds of truth and love in many troubled hearts in all lands, and every student of Christian Science, no matter what his position may be, can do his share in this glorious work. To the outward sense one may not seem able to do very much, but if by an example of never–failing kindness, unselfishness, and purity, he can give a "cup of cold water" to the thirsty, he will have added to the number of those who, having seen the good works of Christian Scientists, glorify God and give thanks for the inestimable benefits which they have received. As one of our hymns so beautifully phrases it,—

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