Article August 11, 1917 Issue

Sunday School Training

J. L. MOTHERSHEAD, JR.

In our Leader's writings the requirements of Truth are very definitely stated, and they are gradually coming to human consciousness with a demand for fulfilment which should and must be met. One of these commands, for that is what it in reality is, is found in the Manual of The Mother Church in regard to the teaching in the Sunday school. In Section 3 of Article XX Mrs. Eddy says, "The instruction given by the children's teachers must not deviate from the absolute Christian Science contained in their text-book." This seems a very simple and right demand, and most of us would say without a moment's thought that this is just what is being done. When, however, this demand is frankly faced, and the teacher realizes that Mrs. Eddy used the word "absolute" with through understanding of its meaning and with definite purpose, an entirely different light is thrown upon it. Every teacher may with good effect ask himself if he really does teach the children only absolute Christian Science and does not introduce materiality a great deal.

We all know there is a vast difference between the spiritual and the material as distinguished in Christian Science. Science and Health has many absolute statements of truth, as well as those which present human conditions. A statements which expresses the truth of man's being is absolute. Other statements refer to material existence, which as a matter of fact is not existence at all, but rather a false sense of the one and only existence, which is spiritual. Our Leader makes this very plain when she says, "For right reasoning there should be but one fact before the thought, namely, spiritual existence" (Science and Health, p. 492). This leaves us no loophole: either we are giving the children right reasoning, or we are not; there is no half way position. Whenever the belief of material sense comes into our teaching as in anywise real, we are being governed by incorrect reasoning, ignorance, and disobedience.

As we face this fact a thousand and one excuses may flood our thought, but they are only arguments of mortal mind, not reason governing right action. One says that the children would not know what we were talking about; another, that they have to live in the world as they find it, and so must be helped to see the material condition, as that is what they have to meet at this time. A close examination of any excuse exposes the fact that it is a belief of this argument of dual existence which we ourselves have accepted as a basis of our thinking. This thought came to the writer very clearly while teaching in the Sunday school, and he endeavored to follow it. The result were wonderful, and the reward of increased interest on the part of the scholars amply paid for the effort. Some who had seemed to have only a slight interest began to grasp points in the Lesson, and to bring to the class results of their work in healing and also in their increased capacity for school work; other had been able to help members of their family, and all had derived much good. We cannot too continuously and faithfully keep the spiritual fact before the children, and show that it is this which both uncovers and destroys error.

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