Editorial November 24, 1917 Issue

Be of Good Cheer

William D. McCrackan

In every individual's experience there comes a time when a word of good cheer lightens the heart weighed down by human perplexities. Christian Science shows the way God lifts the burdens of humanity, straightens the path of crookedness, and throws light upon every obstinate problem. That good cheer is essential in the sick room goes almost without saying. Mrs. Eddy writes on page 395 of Science andHealth: "An ill-tempered, complaining, or deceitful person should not be a nurse. The nurse should be cheerful, orderly, punctual, patient, full of faith,—receptive to Truth and Love." The application of Principle can also iron out the wrinkles produced by business worry; it points to the present possibility of substituting spiritual ideas for financial cares, thus working out the laws of harmony in the business world. The word of good cheer, whether in the home or on the street, gives a taste of the heavenly riches within. When God's kingdom becomes established within the individual consciousness, the golden opportunities of spreading the kingdom on earth make their appearance.

A cheery Christian Scientist with shining countenance entering the office of one who is downcast can pour out the truth of compassionate love so abundantly that the mental atmosphere of that office will be changed. A smile may dissipate the wet blanket of discouragement more quickly than a sermon. The torch of good cheer carried by a Christian Scientist can light up the dark corners and hidden recesses of mortal man's fears, turning depression into spiritual courage and worry into joyful trustfulness in God. So the lack of a cheery word often darkens a promising day, or a hard, serious, pessimistic thought expressed in words arouses dark forebodings in an impressionable nature.

Christian Science enables man to realize that God holds the helm of his ship of life, and this saves him from being shipwrecked by his own fears or by the fears of others. The spiritual facts given in Science and Health counteract the temptation to false thinking when it assails the one who reads and faithfully practices what he reads. Thus thought is taught to take the true course into the channels of love where there are no storms. The apathetic would rather ride upon the tide without a rudder, drifting whichever way the wind of human beliefs may blow. But when the storms of fear and hate rage tumultuously, the cry goes out from those who are literally at sea, as it did from the disciples of Jesus, "Lord, save us: we perish." Then for man's encouragement the teaching of Christian Science should be remembered, that the Christ is ever present and peace is never absent, that the Christ is an abiding healing power.

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