Article November 10, 1923 Issue

Real Gratitude

A. VICTOR GILBERT

The gratitude and love which Christian Scientists feel toward their beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, for the blessings which have come into their lives through her discovery of Christian Science and her ceaseless labors for mankind, constitute an important part of their attitude towards Truth. While we all wish to express this in words and deeds to the best of our ability, are we as watchful as we should be to do so in some of the very simple ways in which we can show real gratitude; namely, by devotion to the Cause of Christian Science, and by doing constructive work for it? We all know how our Leader emphasized the necessity for deeds, rather than words, to prove one's sincerity; and what should be said of one who, while professing gratitude, is at the same time serving evil in its attempts to destroy the Cause, by failing to watch and do his part in preserving unity in our churches?

It should be evident that the great opportunity to demonstrate our gratitude is a privilege and duty; for thereby is maintained that vitalizing unity and harmony in our churches which must abide where members are spiritually active and self-sacrificing with regard to all church affairs. We are all likely to watch closely our thinking with regard to the seeming aches and pains of our so-called physical bodies; but this may involve a certain element of selfishness. We must rise higher than this if we would maintain a right attitude of thought toward all church problems, and thereby secure unity and strength in our branch organizations, which will maintain them impregnable aginst the pretentious assaults of evil, be the evil ignorant, fraudulent, or malicious. Can any doubt the importance of this unity of front when they consider how our Leader counsels obedience to the Bylaws of the Church Manual, and her constant admonitions to remain loyal to all departments of our organization?

There is no doubt of our intention to support our Cause to the best of our ability; but it must be in spiritual alertness that we shall prove our devotion and bring forth fruits. This alertness is demonstrated by our insistence at all times on the spiritual truths of being with regard to church officers and church problems, and by our denial of the reality of mortal seemings. How true it is that in our thinking there can be no such thing as neutral ground. We are either seeing a loving Father,—infinite Mind,—governing absolutely His ideas in all phases of their activity, or else taking the side of error and admitting the claims of so-called mortal mind's activity and proneness to make mistakes and do wrong ignorantly or intentionally. If we hold to the spiritual truth that the infinite One is governing all His ideas through unerring law, we are then at-one with Truth, and working to sustain the activity of the Christ-idea, as manifest in the Christian Science organization; but if we take the side of error, we are allying ourselves in belief with anti-Christ, and all the suppositional forces of evil, which would attempt to hinder the healing Christ and impede its activity and power operating through our movement.

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