Article December 23, 1916 Issue

What Is a Christian Scientist?

W. W. GRISWOLD

Often the question is asked, What is a Christian Scientist? A concise reply is, that a Christian Scientist is one in whose consciousness is developing the scientific understanding of God, good, and that the recognition of this omnipotent goodness, this divine Principle, constitutes all that he is, or has, or does. It is in fact the earnest endeavor of every consistent student of Christian Science to exemplify in his daily affairs the fact that he is in reality the child of the omnipotent, all-wise, and all-loving God, endowed with dominion over the things which come his way in the course of the world's operations.

In the first chapter of Genesis we are instructed that God created the heaven and the earth and all that therein is, and then made man in His own image and likeness and gave him dominion over all the things of the earth. It is also recorded in that same chapter that when God viewed the heaven and earth He had created, including the man made in His image and likeness, He declared them all to be "very good." Could we have a more positive assurance of our right to be superior to all the vicissitudes and circumstances which seem to produce discord in mind, body, or estate?

Why then are we burdened from time to time with the world's discordant conditions? It is simply because we do not come forward and accept in its entirety man's God-given inheritance of dominion over the things of the earth, which means freedom from sin, disease, limitation, and inharmony of every sort. Such conduct would make of us sluggards in the race. We must consistently and persistently strive to reach the goal of our God-given perfection and to occupy the position of dominion and effectiveness which rightfully belongs to all of God's children.

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