Editorial November 26, 1921 Issue

Willingness to Investigate

Gustavus S. Paine

Some people have seemed afraid to investigate Christian Science, so sure have they thought themselves that its teachings must be in some way dangerous. As Mrs. Eddy says on page 237 of Science and Health, "Some invalids are unwilling to know the facts or to hear about the fallacy of matter and its supposed laws. They devote themselves a little longer to their material gods, cling to a belief in the life and intelligence of matter, and expect this error to do more for them than they are willing to admit the only living and true God can do." This fear, this impatience, this unwillingness can be overcome, however, by the actual practice of Christian Science, for each one who is proving the efficacy of Principle for himself is demonstrating the one Principle which is for the benefit of all who rely upon it.

In family relationships one person is sometimes afraid to have another member of the family, a son or a daughter perhaps, investigate Christian Science and depend upon it for help in a case of suffering. Now the fact is that the genuine practice of Christian Science can do no harm and that any seeming failures have been due not to Christian Science but to lack of practice of Christian Science in accord with absolute Principle. Every glimpse of Christian Science, every thought and action based on its Principle, is an immense blessing to the seeker for health, happiness, and truth. Fear and reluctance must be be supplanted by the understanding that each one is free to express intelligence for himself in his reasoning about Life and in his application of this reasoning to his problems. To be afraid for some one else is not to be really helpful in one's thinking, for the true helpfulness, sympathy, and acceptance of responsibility must consist in expressing intelligence, which is always positive and fearless. Expressing intelligence is understanding and demonstrating that one infinite, divine intelligence governs man, despite and human seeming, whether this seeming be supposed to be good or bad.

People would be less afraid to investigate Christian Science if they knew from the outset that Christian Science really takes nothing away from any one, but gives the truth in place of any false sense of things. This truth is naturally far different from mere human concepts of what it may be or ought to be, but it is satisfying because it is broader than mortal beliefs. Christian Science does violence to nothing that ever has been really good, for the infinity of true Science, or demonstrable understanding of Principle, is not come to destroy but to fulfill through the "Spirit of truth." The belief in worldliness, or materiality, of course does not turn to this "Spirit of truth" but must give way to it, disappear even as an illusion, while man is revealed as forever knowing and rejoicing in Principle. For solid satisfaction one must depend on Mind, Spirit, not on matter, and the understanding of this fact involves continual gain, not loss.

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