Editorial December 24, 1921 Issue

"Wherein, as whereout"

Gustavus S. Paine

The true worship of God is the acceptance of infinite Principle as the only cause for being, though religious understanding is by no means limited to this or any other form of words. In all ages men have caught glimpses of the true God, and their varied strivings for understanding of God have been blessed with some measure of fulfillment and peace. Because Truth is indeed infinite it can never be limited to any human sense of worship, to any earthly organization, nor to any body of people zealously cherishing their special phraseology. The Christian Scientist, therefore, recognizes good wherever he sees it and rejoices that all truly religious thought and action must have one purpose, to express and demonstrate divine intelligence. As Mrs. Eddy says on page 13 of "Christian Science versus Pantheism," "Love all Christian churches for the gospel's sake; and be exceedingly glad that the churches are united in purpose, if not in method, to close the war between flesh and Spirit, and to fight the good fight till God's will be witnessed and done on earth as in heaven."

Love is divine Principle manifest as right activity, and is thus far more than a mere human sentiment, for it must be exemplified in strength as well as kindness. Rightly expressing divine Love is living in accord with Principle all the time and not assuming an unnatural attitude on special occasions. In fact, a man can worship God by proving health and success in his daily living as he never could by trying merely to appear sanctimonious. Christian Science practice, which enters into every detail of experience, is entirely natural because it manifests the nature of divine Principle, of which so-called human nature and whatever is considered humanly natural can be only the counterfeit. It is right for all to go forward together in the discernment of the divine nature and in the practical application of this supreme naturalness to the problems of health and business as well as of morals.

Christian Science does not seek, however, merely to take a place as one of the religions of the world to be tolerated by humanity generally and to be received by some with what John Stuart Mill called " a dull and torpid assent, as if accepting it on trust dispensed with the necessity of realizing it in consciousness, or testing it by personal experience." The one infinite and incontrovertible Principle which Christian Science expresses is for all to accept and rely on wholly, even though the way of approach to it may seem to be as varied as the conditions of human thought which must turn in the right direction in order to find surcease. Christian Science can be discussed endlessly, and every discussion can arouse genuine interest in Principle; but discussion must lead to demonstration or it is worthless. The vitality of absolute Principle is manifest as actual wholeness of spirituality replacing the wretchedness of materiality. Only in proportion as this spiritual replacement is proved, is one worshiping the Father in spirit and in truth.

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