Article September 13, 1919 Issue

Fruit of Obedience

NINA F. WINN

To be conscious of God's omnipotence is to reject the untrue and false, for, as Isaiah states it, "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land." A very significant statement appeared in the Sentinel not long ago, containing counsel which every Christian Scientist should heed, to the effect that obedience to the Manual of The Mother Church affords protection against aggressive mental suggestion. What is this aggressive evil but the thoughts of the carnal or fleshly mind expressing its own limitations as to health, happiness, substance, life, love, and truth? Upon reading the statement above referred to, the writer was impelled to examine her own thought and to go to the Manual for further consecrated study; and in doing this there came to her the fruits of past obedience to the provisions especially dealing with the individual's conduct.

For many years there had never seemed to be a time when she could send the amount to The Christian Science Publishing Society for a year's subscription to The Christian Science Monitor. Part of the time she had subscribed on the monthly basis plan and the rest of the time depended on those in her household to subscribe, but the time arrived when our newspaper seemed not to be available through either source. She herself was without a position and consequently with no income. According to its nature error put up the arguments of limitation that made renewal seem impossible, but above this was her desire to be obedient to Article VIII, Section 14, of the Manual: "It shall be the privilege and duty of every member, who can afford it, to subscribe for the periodicals which are the organs of this Church," and our Leader's further word that we "read our daily newspaper" (Miscellany, p. 353). The question had now resolved itself into whether or not she could "afford" it, and the answer came that she could, when she considered that she afforded food, shelter, clothing, and recreation. It was with a heart full of gratitude, therefore, that she drew from a very small savings account the amount for a year's subscription.

This done, she realized that her work was not finished until she read the paper, and not partially but wholly. Interesting employment had already opened up, and shortly afterwards she was privileged to belong to the Cooperative Committee of The Christian Science Monitor.

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