Article March 23, 1918 Issue

"Are you faithful? Do you love?"*

JOHN RANDALL DUNN

We are, without doubt, living in one of the most momentous periods in human history. Unquestionably the earth is witnessing the inevitable upheaval predicted by Christ Jesus. Referring to this gigantic fermentation Mrs. Eddy wrote years ago in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 96): "This material world is even now becoming the arena for conflicting forces. On one side there will be discord and dismay; on the other side there will be Science and peace." Then a little farther along we read: "During this final conflict, wicked minds will endeavor to find means by which to accomplish more evil; but those who discern Christian Science will hold crime in check. They will aid in the ejection of error. They will maintain law and order, and cheerfully await the certainty of ultimate perfection."

This significant statement would seem to emphasize two important thoughts for the earnest student of Christian Science: first, that it is his province and his privilege to aid in shortening the period of violent chemicalization—in other words, to "hold crime in check" and "aid in the ejection of error;" and second, that he shall not be dismayed nor overwhelmed by the seeming awfulness of the situation, but "cheerfully await" the sure triumph of good and right. Many seekers after Truth, not recognizing that this great stir throughout its whole system is a favorable symptom in the world's recovery, are yielding not a little to the argument of dismay, and, what is still more unfortunate, to a mental turning away from the problem which, were such action universal, would leave our sick, chemicalizing world-patient without a practitioner.

Every conscientious worker in the vineyard of Christian Science knows that when he has declared the truth for a sufferer and the patient immediately appears to grow worse instead of better, this is no time for him to desert the sick one and say: "I cannot account for this upheaval. Evidently this is not a case for Christian Science." And yet this seems to be attitude of some workers in the movement to-day. The argument of mere sentimental loyalty to a country apparently blinds many otherwise clear students and causes them to lose sight of the marvelous metaphysical aspects of this great world problem, thus making them inactive, negligible factors in its solution; nay worse: it causes them to become positive obstacles to the speedy working out of the problem in truth.

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Martha Who Served
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