Article March 8, 1924 Issue

What "God hath joined together"

LUCIA C. COULSON

To our Leader, in an hour of faithful listening, there came the divine command to name her priceless gift to this to this age "Christian Science." Do we ponder enough the great significance of these two words, conjoined in perfect juxtaposition? This new-old truth must be Christian; it must manifest the moral qualities, the Christliness of good deeds. It must also be scientific,—exact, correctly metaphysical; that which shows us how to resolve "things into thoughts," as Mrs. Eddy says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 269). Now these words "Christian" and "Science," united, make a perfect combination. There sometimes seems to be danger in laying too much stress on either one of these words, to the possible neglect of the other. This might develop, on the one hand, into false theology; on the other hand, into mere intellectualism. There seems to be a tendency with some actually to scoff at simple and true Christianity; with others, to shun the term "metaphysician," as used by our Leader.

A study of Mrs. Eddy's writings reveals the folly of either position. She tells us in "Retrospection and Introspection" (p. 25) that she called her discovery "Christian, because it is compassionate, helpful, and spiritual." Significant and indispensable qualities these for healing! Then, on page 483 of Science and Health she writes that "she affixed the name 'Science' to Christianity." And a dictionary gives the definition of metaphysics as "ontology, or the science of being." Science involves demonstration, for it has a fixed divine Principle and rule to be understood and applied; and that which we understand or know we can demonstrate. Again and again, Mrs. Eddy speaks of the necessity of the highest Christianization of life and conduct; while one of the titles of honor which she bestows upon Jesus is that of master Metaphysician, by which title she speaks of him no fewer than nine times in her writings.

The adversary is so subtle in its attempt to divide what God has joined together that we need to watch most carefully that we are not sidetracked in any direction, and to remember always that we are to be Christian Scientists. A tendency of human thought is to follow the swing of the pendulum; and because some have erred in one direction, others tend to run to the opposite extreme. Every one of us needs to strengthen and develop the moral qualities which are inseparable from the true Christian; and every one of us needs to earn and honor the title of Scientist, or Metaphysician, as exemplified by Christ Jesus.

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