Article October 13, 1917 Issue

On Guard

LAURA DUNBAR HAGARTY

Experience proves the wisdom of becoming so familiar with the works of the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science that incorrect teaching is at once detected. Frequently there circulates in attractive epigrammatic or antithetic form a decidedly misleading thought, but because of its rhythmic sound and the semblance of truth it announces, it readily becomes current, eclipsing in popular use the safe utterances of absolute good.

"You do not have to fight; you do not have to struggle; you only have to know," is one offender. Nowhere in Mrs. Eddy's life or writings is there any warrant for the enervating assertion that we do not have to struggle, or to be on guard. On the contrary, we find on page 4 of Science and Health this anticipation of continuous warfare: "The habitual struggle to be always good is unceasing prayer." Indeed a glance at the Concordance to Science and Health shows that under the headings "struggle," "striving," "overcoming," "warfare," and synonymous terms, our Leader enforces over and over again the fact that spiritual ascendancy is won only by supreme effort, and in this position she is entirely Scriptural. Both the Old and the New Testament abound in biographic and didactic accounts of the struggles made by mankind to remain true to God, divine Truth.

In Israelitish and Judaic history, industrial, political, civil, and religious liberty was won by mighty effort. An intimate acquaintance with the lives of the most distinguished leaders among the children of Israel forces the conclusion that attainment meant striving against the powers of evil. Records of conspicuous individual godliness among the rank and file of the people offer evidence that achievement was the result of virile endeavor. Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Nehemiah, Daniel, proved that consecration to God means constant watchfulness and effort. Deborah, Hannah, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego confirmed the wisdom of the apostolic injunction to "fight the good fight of faith."

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

Brief, Clear, and Effective Testimony