Editorial December 18, 1915 Issue

"Doers of the word"

Archibald McLellan

"Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only," was the counsel of the apostle James to the early Christian church, counsel that is equally applicable to professed Christians in all ages and which if heeded would have revolutionized the world long since. Christian Science is emphatically a religion of works, and it is because of this important difference from so many other religions that it is making such headway in extending and enlarging the world's concept of God and of man's relation to Him.

There are very many, however, who have been healed through Christian Science, who thoroughly believe in it, and yet seem unable to understand that it is a religion which requires much more from them than a mere acquiescence in and enthusiasm for what they suppose is its creed or doctrinal beliefs. Because of this mental attitude they have utterly failed to understand that there is a necessity for individual activity. As a consequence they have continued in a mere passive state of receptivity, and thus missed the blessing which comes from demonstrating Christian Science, not only for one's self in one's own personal distresses and problems, but also for others who are in need of and wish to receive the help which this Science can give them. Whenever these people are sick or in trouble they depend upon some practitioner for help, and in so doing deprive themselves of the greatest boon that could come to them, namely, the opportunity to work out their own salvation.

That Christian Science is a religion of works rather than of words, has been amply proved by the healing of sickness and the salvation from sin to which many have borne testimony, and those who would receive all it has in store for mankind must be inspired by our Leader's call to action which is so clear to all who have grasped the import of her words, "The song of Christian Science is, 'Work—work—work—watch and pray'" (Message for 1900, p. 2). The duty of the practitioner is, of course, to help those who come to him for healing, but it is not his duty to do this year in and year out without trying to awaken in his patients a desire to work for themselves, a desire to understand Christian Science rather than merely to believe in it.

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