Article August 26, 1922 Issue

Righteous Judgment

JEAN S. FREEDLANDER

"Judge righteous judgment," spoke the Master. On page 146 of "Miscellaneous Writings" our beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, says, "I cannot accept hearsay, and would need to know the circumstances and facts regarding both sides of the subject, to form a proper judgment." This statement was made in reply to a letter asking for her opinion regarding candidates for admission to membership in The Mother Church. Here we have another instance of our Leader's obedience to God, divine Principle. Well were it for the Cause of Christian Science, as well as for all mankind, if every one who has come into Christian Science would always heed this lesson.

It seems so easy to fall into the error of hasty judgment, which may amount to condemnation before we are aware of it. Sometimes this error of judgment may tempt us to criticize some trait of a Reader in a church—perhaps the expression of voice or face, the posture when standing or sitting, or some other minor detail that evil whispers into thought. Criticism of the same nature may be directed toward our lecturers; yet, as a whole, our Readers and lecturers are a body of consecrated men and women, serving God with earnest, honest hearts, planting seeds of Truth in the soil of human consciousness.

On page 117 of "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany," our revered Leader asks: " 'What went ye out for to see?' A person, or a Principle?" Going to a lecture or to a regular church service with a sincere desire to gain more of the truth, and so be able to reflect more of Life and Love, we shall hear and see naught but Truth and Love, and there will be little room for criticism of lecturer or Reader; rather, will there be gratitude to God and to them, His servants, for their consecration.

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