Article January 3, 1920 Issue

"Occupy"

HUGH STUART CAMPBELL

Probably no one has ever placed a higher valuation on work than did Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science. Her own life of ceaseless toil and attainment is a monument of inspiration to her followers. Fortunate, indeed, is anyone who would emulate her consecrated ideal. That Mrs. Eddy attached great importance to Paul's familiar admonition, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling," is evident when it is considered that in three separate chapters of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," she quotes this sentence in its entirety, and upon five different occasions, in the same volume, the passage is in part incorporated in her own statements, when with forceful argument she endeavors to impress humanity with the vital necessity of individual activity as the only way by which man may acquire the saving grace.

In the story known as the parable of the ten pieces of money, as recorded in the nineteenth chapter of Luke, Jesus illustrated the reward of diligence and the punishment of apathy. From this parable we learn that the nobleman's servants who were obedient to their master's command, "Occupy till I come,"—who manifested alertness, judgment, and fidelity,—not only increased their material substance, but were rewarded with positions of trust; while, on the other hand, the slothful servant, through exhibiting suspicion, indolence, and criticism, must lose "even that he hath."

The Greek word in this parable translated "occupy" means "to do business,"—to do the will of God. "What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" we read in Micah. This is man's true occupation. Jesus called it being about the Father's business. It is the business of doing good, the business of loving. To walk with God is to know God, to reflect His thoughts. Love can never be idle. Love is ever active, rising with upward wings to heights supernal. John says, "Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God." In loving we reflect Love, God, and express this love in the activity of right thinking and good deeds. Indolence and apathy are mortal beliefs. They do not proceed from God. As false states of the carnal mind, they contain no element of the love which belongs indissolubly to God and to His spiritual universe. Matter is the false god of indolence as well as of opulence—a perishable god, therefore no god. To accuse an idle man of hating might startle the individual, to say the least; but certainly idleness and apathy open the door of thought to every error, and close it to the truth. A realization of the subtle influence which blinds mankind to the true nature of these errors,—which draws the veil of innocency over them, calling them good,—must come. The dormant thought finding ease in materialism must be startled into action by Truth. Paul said to the Ephesians: "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."

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