Editorial August 4, 1923 Issue

Faith

Ella W. Hoag

One very beautiful element in the teaching of Christian Science is that it shows how to cherish every least sense of good. In this it is quite contrary to ordinary methods of thinking since, in the effort to reach something more advanced, these methods would advocate either ruthlessly pushing aside a lesser good or egotistically attempting to leap to what seems highest. Even the student of Christian Science, when not yet awake to the necessity of protecting every right tendency, may be deceived into trying to eliminate from his pathway footsteps which are very important in his progress Spiritward. This may be said to be especially true in his attitude towards belief and faith in good. In his endeavor to reach the heights of spiritual understanding, he is too apt to imagine that he can immediately rise above all need to use either of these aids to the winning of such understanding.

Now Mrs. Eddy is always counseling for humble, child-like willingness to take each step wisely and without any attempt to jump to heights not yet earned. She says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 297), "A belief in Truth is better than a belief in error;" and she frequently refers to the improving of beliefs. While she shows that Christian Scientists should advance through improved beliefs to faith as rapidly as practicable, she also teaches that faith when won should be cherished and used in every wise way.

To be sure, our Leader differentiates very plainly between blind faith and a faith instructed by Christian Science; and it is the quality of true faith which she presents as a very necessary element in our growth out of error. Among other references to the subject she writes in "Unity of Good" (p. 61): "Our highest sense of infinite good in this mortal sphere is but the sign and symbol, not the substance of good. Only faith and a feeble understanding make the earthly acme of human sense;" and then she quotes Paul as saying, "The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God."

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