Article May 20, 1916 Issue

"Rise up, and stand forth"

ETHEL M. MC CANDLESS

Christian Scientists sometimes wonder why their problems are not solved more quickly; why so-called physical disorders seem so hard to heal. They may even yield to discouragement, because they have worked so long and as they believe faithfully, and still seem to be in the dark. The writer received great help and enlightenment along this line when she read in the sixth chapter of Luke an account of Jesus going into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and teaching. Among those who listened to him was a man with a withered hand. Now the scribes and Pharisees were watching to see whether Jesus would heal on the Sabbath, and this man must have known of their feeling of antagonism, must have been conscious of the thought of envy and malice that was directed toward this wonderful teacher; nevertheless when Jesus said to him, "Rise up, and stand forth in the midst," he obeyed instantly. No doubt it took courage for him to do this, to separate himself from the throng, although he was sadly in need of healing. He probably had to quiet his fear of criticism and of the accusations which he knew would be hurled at him; but "he arose and stood forth," and thereby received his healing.

We all have heard the call of the Christ, Truth, to "rise up, and stand forth," and some of us have obeyed at first; but this call is continuous and the demand constant. Sometimes the standing forth means the giving up of some self-indulgence which we are hugging to our breast, or perhaps it calls for the sacrifice of some personal pleasure in order that we may make a larger contribution to the cause of Truth. Or it may be that we have been depending on a practitioner to do our work for us, thinking we can pay some one to usher us into the kingdom. We shall find, however, that activity is always demanded of us, as it was of the man in the synagogue; and just as he received his healing when he performed his part, so shall we if we obey.

In the realm of the spiritual, as in the commercial, we do not get something for nothing, and a very common example of trying to do this is the neglect to make a due return for the treatments or help we have received. Oftentimes that very thought of ingratitude, for such it is, would obstruct the truth which is being poured into consciousness through the faithful work of the practitioner. Let us therefore watch, that the throng of jealous, envious, self-seeking, ungrateful, and apathetic thoughts do not press upon us and prevent us from hearing the Christ-call to "rise up, and stand forth." The promise to such as are obedient reads, "Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily."

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