"Strengthen thy brethren"

ELSIE E. EDWARDS

In the twenty-second chapter of Luke we find these words of Christ Jesus, spoken to Peter, "I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." This tender appeal, made by the Master as he was nearing the close of that most wonderful earthly ministry, may well be considered by all who have named themselves followers of Christ in Christian Science. It matters not how slight our understanding of this subject may be, there is always some one who seems to know just a little less; some one who is taking the first faltering steps, and who, because he has not yet learned to turn his thought to divine Principle, may for a time seem to be hindered in his growth Spiritward through our failure to measure up more nearly to the requirements of Truth.

How grateful we should be that God in His love has shown us the perfect way, through Christ Jesus, and that in our own day our revered Leader, Mrs. Eddy, had the clarity of vision to grasp the import of that wonderful Christ-way, and to give it to the world in such a comprehensive form that all who will may understand. How earnestly we should watch and pray that this light which is given us be not hid, but that all who come into any relations with us may feel that sense of love and good will for which the world is hungering and which does indeed strengthen the brethren.

These loving words, "strengthen thy brethren," may well be borne in thought in all our church affiliations, that we may be ever awake to the great opportunities along this line of work. It is clearly seen by every earnest Christian Scientist that his personal presence at the church services is not all that is required, but that he must do his part in realizing the ever-presence of God, infinite Love, if he would reap the full benefit of the service and make it a season of refreshing for the heart-hungry who have come there, perhaps for the first time. At the Wednesday evening meeting is found a special opportunity to give to the seeker the information that Christian Science has indeed been our savior from sickness and sin, and we can ill afford to allow any error, whether it call itself fear or indifference, to keep us in our seats on those occasions.

In speaking of the brethren, Jesus evidently had in mind those men who had left all, and with Peter had enlisted to lessen the sufferings and sins of humanity. No one knew so well as did he how the enemy would seek to enter through the arguments of minds many and divide the ranks, thus hindering the unfolding of the Christ-idea. He also knew that their only protection from this insidious foe was a persistent refusal to see in a brother aught but the reflection of God. This loving counsel given a disciple two thousand years ago, may be of great value to the disciple in Christian Science today. The brethren who have enlisted with us to lessen the sin and suffering of the world, are entitled to our loving thought and kindly support in every right endeavor. This may well be borne in mind with regard to those who are faithfully working to fill the different offices in our churches,—that we be slow to criticize, and ever ready to serve and to uphold their hands.

In a letter to The Mother Church (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 129) our revered Leader has given us words of immortal wisdom which every Christian Scientist may well often ponder, and which if obeyed will surely do much toward hastening the coming of Christ's kingdom on earth; and in the Christian Science Hymnal (p. 105), the thought of loving service to our brethren is thus expressed:—

Among the saints on earth,
Let mutual love be found;
Heirs of the same inheritance,
With mutual blessings crowned.

Thus will the church below
Resemble that above;
Where streams of pleasure ever flow,
And every heart is love.

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