Article January 15, 1916 Issue

Friendship

JOHN STEEN

Friendship, its joy and solace and inspiration, is universal in its appeal and beneficence. The understanding of Christian Science purifies and strengthens the relationship, and brings to light the eternal nature of all that it manifests of good and of truth. In order to approximate the perfect and unchanging—and this is the legitimate desire of true friendship—it must be based upon a mutual understanding of the truth of being; that is to say, to appreciate its joys to the full it is necessary first of all to know the truth about its real nature. Even on the human plane companionship is helpful and lasting only as it is founded on good, and when people become interested in Christian Science they become greater friends than ever. It is found that an unfailing remedy is now at hand for the elimination of all that is ignoble, sordid, and selfish, all that would mar the beauty and full expression of this relationship. What a joy for friends to know and begin to prove that the real man's identity is not material, not affected by sin or disease, but is spiritual and perfect now.

Christian Science destroys our belief in imperfection, and enables us to assert the good and deny and overcome all evil. The realization in thought of spiritual individuality gradually eliminates the sense of material personality. We have learned how to be "all of one mind" when we have come to understand that the real man is an idea of God, and that God's ideas are entirely obedient to and governed by the divine Mind of which they are the expression. Great is our joy when we begin to prove that it is impossible for the ideas of Him "with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning," to be at variance with one another. Then intercourse becomes sweeter and more unselfish and helpful.

On page 100 of her "Miscellaneous Writings" Mrs. Eddy says, "Science speaks when the senses are silent." Then she goes on, "Pure humanity, friendship, home, the interchange of love, bring to earth a foretaste of heaven." All true friendship is based on that which is good, and God being omnipotent good, it is only as we are good that we can be at-one with God and so at-one with each other. Again, God is Love, and the realization of this fact in Christian Science impels us to love our friends so truly that we will refuse to accept the false evidence that man is subject to material conditions, and declare ever for their spiritual identity.

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