Article October 20, 1917 Issue

Testimony Meetings

GEORGE L. HODGSON

Definite instructions as to the form a testimony of healing shall take, as given in Section 24 of Article VIII of the Church Manual, include this statement: "This testimony, however, shall not include a description of symptoms or of suffering, though the generic name of the disease may be indicated. This By-Law applies to testimonials which appear in the periodicals and to those which are given at the Wednesday evening meeting." From this it does not seem that it was intended by our revered Leader, Mrs. Eddy, that the period allotted for testimonies was other than for the sincere expression of gratitude and praise to God for benefits received through the application and operation of Christian Science, and a rehearsal of these benefits, or blessings as they are termed in the by-law quoted, for the information and encouragement of others.

It is therefore manifestly out of place for a Christian Scientist to attempt, during the brief period devoted to this part of the service, to describe his metaphysical method of giving a treatment or his manner of metaphysically applying his understanding of how such a treatment should be given. There are several good reasons why such remarks are not timely. In the first place, the two or three minutes to which in a large church the speaker is entitled, are much too limited to do justice to so deep a subject. Besides this, such an attempt always goes over the head, so to speak, of the layman or stranger who is seeking information concerning Christian Science. Furthermore, unless the Scientist has a clear conception of the metaphysics of Christian Science, he is liable either to befog others or to become hopelessly befogged himself. It is much better and far wiser to confine such statements to private rather than public expression. In fact it is far better to allow the beginner or seeker to glean this information for himself from our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures;" for all overcoming of discord, whether sin or disease, is the result of individual not vicarious effort. Consequently the student must work out his own salvation according to the measure of his own understanding.

A person is often apt to overlook the fact that in using the language of Christian Science he is speaking a new tongue not understood by humanity in general, and that at a testimony meeting there is no opportunity except from the desk to correct a misstatement or to amplify ambiguous remarks. In the meantime the impression has been made upon the audience, and individuals are in danger of going away with the thought that what they have heard is in strict conformity with the teachings of Christian Science. Frequently people are unnecessarily antagonized, sometimes permanently so, by what they have heard a well meaning Christian Scientist unwisely say.

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