When Peter questioned John's ability to work out his...

Robert S. Ross

Buffalo (N. Y.) Express

When Peter questioned John's ability to work out his salvation in the right way, Jesus rebuked Peter, saying, "What is that to thee? follow thou me." In other words, the Master gave Peter to understand that if he was going to be a consistent and scientific Christian he would have to stop meddling with other people's affairs and devote himself to the more effective and profitable task of making Christianity the governing influence in his own affairs.

Peter's case was not an isolated one. It stands out merely as a striking example of that propensity of the human mind which busies itself more in trying to correct the faults of others than it does in trying to correct its own. A more recent illustration is the case of a writer whose sweeping denunciations of Christian Science and of all other religious systems but his own have from time to time appeared in your columns, including a recent issue.

It would be interesting, however, to learn just what our critic believes to be the true worship of God. Surely he will admit that it is more than belief in a mere human doctrine or the recital of a man-made creed. Inasmuch as Jesus was the Founder of Christianity, it is safe to assume that he best knew what constituted true worship. The New Testament contains the only available authentic record of Jesus' words and works, and it is there that we must look for our information. What do we find? Among other things the following: "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also," and "These signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."

The Christianity of Jesus was a religion of works, not merely one of words; therefore the religious system which enables its followers to conform closest to the standard of Christian practice established for all time by Jesus must logically and indisputably come nearest to the Christ-ideal. On page 31 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy writes of Jesus: "First in the list of Christian duties, he taught his followers the healing power of Truth and Love. He attached no importance to dead ceremonies. It is the living Christ, the practical Truth, which makes Jesus 'the resurrection and the life' to all who follow him in deed." The Christian Science of today, like the Christian Science of the first century, makes urgent demands upon Christendom for proofs rather than mere professions of discipleship. Christian Science says with the apostle James, "Faith without works is dead."

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