Article September 14, 1918 Issue

True Interpretation

JESSIE BENNETT

When my daughter, now a senior student at a large local day school, was much smaller and in one of the junior forms, she began on retiring to bed one evening to speak about a Scripture lesson that had been given that day in her class. We had for several years been endeavoring to follow the teachings of Christian Science, and my husband and I gave to our little boy and girl such simple instruction as we felt they could grasp, while always encouraging them to realize and apply the truth for themselves, knowing that the childlike thought comes near to Christ. The subject of the lesson referred to had been the story of Joseph and his brethren, and as the little girl spoke of her difficulty, the thought of the meaning which this has for us in Christian Science came very clearly.

It was shown her that events may have taken place just as indicated by the teacher, who was lovingly endeavoring to acquaint the children with the wonderful Bible narratives; but that we who are trying to guide our lives by the understanding of God as revealed in the Bible and in the writings of our dear Leader, remember what she tells us on page 320 of Science and Health; namely, "The one important interpretation of Scripture is the spiritual;" and when reading Old Testament stories, the most important part is to learn the lesson they have to teach each one of us. We thus see how Joseph, though sold into slavery by those who should have loved and cared for him, yet kept the purity and nobility of his character intact; how after many hard experiences he rose in a strange land to great power; and how long afterwards he was able to show kindness and love to his own kindred, giving them help when it was sorely needed. He had kept his understanding of God's love and power clear and pure, so that the hardships and sorrows, which might have embittered him, were turned into opportunities for overcoming and proving the nothingness of error. With this explanation the little one was quite happy and satisfied, and went to rest quietly, feeling sure that if other puzzles arose they could be straightened out by applying her own understanding of Truth.

A few days later another member of the family was seized with a very sudden and violent attack of pain, and Christian Science treatment had to be promptly given. When the Bible and Science and Health were taken up, these words from the twelfth chapter of Revelation presented themselves: "The accuser of our brethren is cast down ... And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." The talk with the little girl on the spiritual interpretation of the Scripture was recalled; and it was seen that the error of belief in pain or pleasure of the senses is the "accuser," which tries to separate us from our Father-Mother God, and that we overcome this accuser by humbly taking as our example and pattern the life of our Wayshower, Christ Jesus; and the more earnestly we strive to "correct material belief by spiritual understanding" (Science and Health, p. 425), and the more willing we are to relinquish the false sense of life, love it not, in that proportion shall we find error disappearing, replaced by the true sense of life in God. This word of testimony is the steady, intelligent declaration of the truth, faithful adherence to what we know to be true in the face of opposite testimony of the physical senses, which must "fall down flat," if the right course is persistently pursued, even as did the walls of Jericho.

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