Article August 15, 1914 Issue

Our Daily Prayers

GUSTAVUS S. PAINE

In the "Rule for Motives and Acts" (Manual, p. 40) we read that "the members of this church [The Mother Church] should daily watch and pray to be delivered from all evil, from prophesying, judging, condemning, counseling, influencing or being influenced erroneously." Though any merely personal interpretation of the duty here indicated is uncalled for, it is well to note the care and insight with which the words in this by-law have been chosen. Every one of the words used to denote the specific evils against which we must daily protect ourselves is full of meaning, and the thoughtful study of this by-law must unfold more and more of helpful truth.

On page 41 of the Manual is the familiar by-law about "Daily Prayer," which reads, "It shall be the duty of every member of this church to pray each day: 'Thy kingdom come;' let the reign of divine Truth, Life, and Love be established in me, and rule out of me all sin; and may Thy Word enrich the affections of all mankind, and govern them!" Truly Christian Science is a religion of constant aspiration. Only as we purify mortal thought with the understanding that divine intelligence is ever present, can we give to the humanly limited the truth which is to make them free. Even the little children are learning to pray more and more freely in Christian Science, and their prayers are effective.

It would seem that inasmuch as every member of our church is instructed to "pray without ceasing," those who are preparing themselves for membership in the church should likewise conform to this requirement. In fact, the young student will find that from this daily exercise he will gain countless blessings. Thought is turned to the infinite idea, and to the one intelligence which is the source of that idea, so that devotion to mortal personality is given up. Thus step by step the perfection of God, and man in His image and likeness, is unfolded until the perfect healing is attained. Naturally we see the importance of giving heed to our Leader's earnest injunction that we "pray daily" for ourselves; "not verbally, nor on bended knee, but mentally, meekly, and importunately" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 127). When we thus pray, first of all in the early morning, before mortal thought has had opportunity to raise its clamor, we do indeed receive, as Mrs. Eddy declares in the same paragraph, "more grace, obedience, and love," and are fed "with the bread of heaven, health, holiness."

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

Our Daily Prayers

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access