Editorial January 29, 1916 Issue

Obedience and Exactness

Annie M. Knott

In Paul's epistle to the Romans we read, "By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." This refers primarily to the obedience to divine law manifested in all the earthly experience of Christ Jesus. Obedience is defined as "submission to rightful restraint or control," which is good so far as it goes, but a higher sense of obedience sees beyond the present hour, and gladly does that which makes for the universal good. It must have been in this sense that the psalmist said, "I delight to do thy will, O my God." It goes without saying that blind obedience to a self-constituted authority can only lead to revolt in the end, hence the necessity for a clear recognition of the law of right-doing, which to the Christian Scientist expresses the divine Principle of man and the universe.

In the article called "Obedience," which begins on page 116 of "Miscellaneous Writings," Mrs. Eddy says, "Obedience is the offspring of Love; and Love is the Principle of unity, the basis of all right thinking and acting; it fulfils the law." The entire article should often be studied by Christian Scientists, especially in view of this statement: "If in one instance obedience be lacking, you lose the scientific rule and its reward: namely, to be made 'ruler over many things.' " As it was our Master who declared that the faithful and obedient worker should be made "ruler over many things," we cannot afford to disregard his teachings on this essential point. Here it may be remarked that the one who readily obeys every right requirement develops both symmetry and strength of character, and that one must learn to rule himself before he can become a ruler of conditions on a wider sphere of action. The feats of the athlete illustrate in a remarkable way the results of obedience to certain rules. Although these are mainly limited to the physical plane, they point to what might be accomplished by at least equal devotion to a high ideal.

All mortals are spoken of in the Bible as "the children of disobedience," which is a fitting characterization of those who in response to material sense let self-will control them instead of letting God's will be done. Christian Scientists cannot complain that they have been encumbered by many rules and regulations in respect to their church services or their work in demonstrating the Principle of their religion. Christian Science, however, demands exactness in all things, and this brings its own reward in ever increasing harmony in the church, in the home, and in individual experience. Our work may be described as the offering up of "spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God," and all things should be after the pattern shown in the mount, although we do not use cup, censer, or candlestick, as did the priests in the Jewish service.

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