Editorial August 19, 1922 Issue

Applied Christianity

Albert F. Gilmore

The careful student of the Scriptures is invariably impressed with the completeness of Jesus' demonstration of the power of Truth in destroying erroneous and inharmonious conditions. There is no indication that he hesitated to apply spiritual law to every false situation which confronted him, whenever the demand came for demonstration. When the multitude in token of their interest in his teachings and works presented themselves, he healed their sick; if hungry, he fed them; if the tempest threatened destruction, he stilled the waves. Whatever type of discord manifested itself, he destroyed it, as it were, out of hand; and all in demonstration of the omnipotence of God and His availability as the infallible remedy for every wrong condition. The record is that Christ Jesus never hesitated to take a strong position against the seeming dominion of evil however expressed, whether in the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, the dishonesty of members of the Sanhedrin, or the sins of the publicans.

With no desire to criticize the falling away of the Christian church from the full demonstration of his precepts, it may be asserted without offense that Christendom had accepted a gradually narrowing application of divine Principle to the daily round of human affairs, until Mary Baker Eddy, through the discovery of Christian Science, opened wide the door to the restoration of primitive Christianity with all its strength and usefulness in healing the hurts, temptations, and troubles of mankind. Mrs. Eddy at times turned the great light of her spiritual understanding upon the problems of the state and the nation, commending her followers to do likewise. "Pray for the prosperity of our country," she admonished her followers in a message to The Mother Church on page 14 of "Christian Science versus Pantheism," and "for her victory under arms; that justice, mercy, and peace continue to characterize her government, and that they shall rule all nations."

No student of Christian Science can or does doubt the necessity of conforming his life to the spiritual ideals taught and exemplified by the Prophet of Nazareth, revived and restated by our Leader. This necessity applies not alone in particular and convenient instances—those easy of accomplishment. Wherever the student meets one who in the adventure of life has fallen "among thieves," then he must act the part of the good Samaritan. Does not this obligation also entail what may be termed one's civic responsibility? Is not the utilizing of spiritual understanding in the solution of the problems involving moral and ethical questions—national and international—a part of good citizenship, and in the line of performance of one's civic duty? Does not the playing of one's full part—and who would be satisfied to do less?—involve the application of spiritual understanding to all problems confronting Christians?

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