Article December 23, 1922 Issue

Life Eternal

AMY C. FARISS

One of the beliefs of inexorable law which the so-called human mind has claimed to lay down for itself is, that all mankind must, sooner or later, pass through the experience called death. Let one assert that it may be possible to escape this experience, and he is met with incredulous amazement, with veiled pity, or with open scorn. Yet the whole ministry of Jesus was for no other purpose than to establish the fact of man's eternal relation to God, who is the source of his life. Acknowledging this unseverable relationship, the psalmist says, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me." He knew that God, who is Life, is ever with man; and that the opposite of Life could not in reality become a conscious fact to the one who understands and demonstrates this truth.

On the walls of many Christian Science churches Jesus' challenging statement is placed, holding our thoughts more steadfastly to the open road to immortality: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." And again, Jesus promised, "If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death." As for our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, the fact that God alone is Life is stated and restated therein, from cover to cover. Let one take the Concordances to Mrs. Eddy's writings and begin reading the references on Life, and he will find how like a golden guaranty, vibrating through every word our Leader wrote, is the precious assurance that God alone is Life. With Jesus' plain teaching and example as to the facts of eternal life, and our Leader's fearless reiteration of these facts, we as Christian Scientists have a right to take a strong mental stand on the subject, whatever mortal mind may claim. Since we are the sons of God, we now inherit eternal life. In honesty to ourselves and mankind, we can take no other position. On page 426 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy says, "If the belief in death were obliterated, and the understanding obtained that there is no death, this would be a 'tree of life,' known by its fruits."

Christian Scientists are much gratified that the time has come in the world's progress when the old hindering belief that the Christ-healing was only for a dispensation now past, and which helped to hold the race of Adam in the belief of disease, is being removed. To-day the churches are setting aside that outgrown doctrine. This one fact will have a liberating effect; and more light will follow, as light always follows any acceptation of higher truth. This greater liberation will turn thought with a newer, more searching study to the record of Jesus' healings and so-called miracles; and the seeking to touch the "seamless robe" cannot help resulting in great good to the world in general. We may be grateful, also, that the time is already here when the unauthorized statement is being set aside that healing by spiritual means was meant to be exercised only by Jesus and his disciples.

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