Article June 23, 1917 Issue

Passing Along Our Periodicals

ETTA V. FRIEND

One condition which seems to be quite prevalent today is the holding on to our copies of the Christian Science periodicals after they have been read. When we have read an article which has been helpful the tendency is to hoard it, as if there were a limited supply of good and we would be unable to get more. This tendency is true in regard to all our literature, but particularly so with respect to the Journal. The underlying cause of this condition is a fear which should be destroyed. We must know that there is an infinite supply from which to draw, and that God, divine Mind, is continually using innumerable channels to send us helpful thoughts which will meet all our needs.

Progress is the rule in Christian Science; we cannot go backward. Every Scientist will agree with this statement. Why then is it not used in regard to our periodicals? We receive these daily, weekly, or monthly, and each is intended to meet the need of the time when it is received. We should not need to go back to literature that is several months old; we must progress and take the new with its messages of healing. When our periodicals have been carefully read and thoroughly digested, it is time to pass them along. Occasionally, however, there is a particular article which one would like to retain for future reference, and to fill this need the Publishing Society frequently reprints such articles and issues them in the form of pamphlets.

The following experience of a Christian Scientist in regard to the retaining of periodicals may be helpful. This Scientist had always kept her literature and had saved those articles which were helpful to her. It was brought to her attention that this was unnecessary and that she ought to pass on her copies. A short time later an article appeared which seemed to meet her need, but after having read it thoroughly she decided to pass it along, and a day or two afterward did so. Later an article appeared in the Monitor which to her seemed even better than the first, but she passed it along. The next Journal contained an article which she thought was the best of all. This experience healed her of hoarding up literature, for she had proved the truth of our Leader's words, "Giving does not impoverish us in the service of our Maker, neither does withholding enrich us" (Science and Health, p. 79).