Article September 3, 1921 Issue

Right Motives

DOROTHY POPERT

On page 1 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy has written, "Desire is prayer; and no loss can occur from trusting God with our desires, that they may be moulded and exalted before they take form in words and in deeds." The writer would like to express her very deep gratitude for the help she has gained from this message. Some time after taking up the study of Christian Science I wished very much to contribute to the periodicals provided through the loving wisdom of our Leader. The thought of writing some joyful message or experience which might go forth into the world to comfort some lonely heart inspired me. One day I took pencil and paper and decided to try to write an article. To my great disappointment the words and sentences refused to come, and with much regret I found myself unable to write anything. This desire to help remained with me, and I continued to cherish it and wait on God. It was not till over eighteen months later that I again sat down to write some experience in Christian Science. This time the message came quite easily and when completed was addressed to The Christian Science Publishing Society. As I sent it a great desire that it might be considered suitable and accepted went with it. Then the thought came: Well, if it is not accepted and printed in one of the periodicals it will not matter; the right desire to help cannot be wasted and has gone forth into the world anyway.

On page 152 of "Miscellaneous Writings" we read, "Of this we may be sure: that thoughts winged with peace and love breathe a silent benediction over all the earth, cooperate with the divine power, and brood unconsciously o'er the work of His hand."It was then joyfully seen that it is the motive that counts and if our desires are good and right we can confidently leave them in the hands of divine Love. Self condemning thoughts of our own inability to write clear and grammatical articles for the Christian Science periodicals will all be wiped out when we know that "the Father . . . doeth the works." Writing testimonies and experiences in Christian Science is a great privilege for all students of Christian Science and we should not listen to the mesmeric suggestion that "there are plenty of more advanced students to contribute to the channels of Truth." It has since been revealed to me that the reason I was unable to write when first the desire came to me was simply that I lacked practical experience.

Every time that we demonstrate Christian Science, and prove that there is no place where God is not, we gain the strength and power of good and are in a position to speak with authority. If we write articles with an exalted sense of our own superior knowledge and understanding of Christian Science, this is not accepted by divine Love. We should all do well to consider prayerfully what our Leader has written in Article VIII, Section 11, of the Church Manual: "Also the spirit in which the writer has written his literature shall be definitely considered. His writings must show strict adherence to the Golden Rule, or his literature shall not be adjudged Christian Science." Every right and loving desire to bless our brother man is in turn blessed of God and will bear much fruit.

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