Article April 1, 1916 Issue

Christian Science and Its Fruit

S. F. SWANTEES

On a certain occasion when Jesus wished to warn his students he said, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." Then followed the comparison of the good tree and the corrupt tree, ending with those words that have been quoted so often by adherents of Christian Science, "By their fruits ye shall know them." Now a prophet is a "spiritual seer" (Science and Health, p. 593), hence a false prophet must be one who pretends to understand spiritually but who sees only materially. So the Master's injunction evidently meant that his followers were to beware, not of a personality, but of the common error which takes the fable of materialism as a basis for judging of spiritual progress or of metaphysical understanding.

It is hardly to be supposed that he who had not "where to lay his head," who denied and overcame every law of matter, would place the fulfilment of material desires in the front rank as the fruit of Christian Science. It is scarcely conceivable that he who took upon himself the shame of the cross, did so to increase a false sense of material prosperity, when he had just said, "How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!" He defined his position very clearly in these words: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." It is apparent, therefore, that the fruit of Christian Science, the Science of Spirit, must be spiritual, not material, and that spiritual fruit is required of every follower of the Master.

In the fifth chapter of Galatians Paul makes it plain as to what constitutes this fruit. He says, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." These fruits or demonstrations are required here and now as evidence of the genuineness of our profession of Christian Science. They are primary, and all other things are to be added as our heavenly Father seeth that we have need. It is evident that mortal mind cannot yield a single fruit of the Spirit, neither can the Science of Spirit beget a belief in the reality or necessity of matter.

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