Article March 15, 1924 Issue

There is to-day a laudable tendency among denominations...

W. Stuart Booth,—Paonia, Colo., Dec. 13, 1923

Paonian

There is to-day a laudable tendency among denominations of Christian believers to lay aside certain creedal differences, and to unite in aim and effort on the basis of fundamental spiritual truths such as are acceptable to all. This indicates an aroused appreciation of Paul's statement that God "hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." For it is evident that the points of difference are those of "the letter," not of "the spirit" of Christianity.

The coming of Christian Science and its phenomenal spread throughout the civilized world does not mean that a new sect has arisen to further divide the ranks of Christian believers. Rather does it denote that here is a common basis of agreement whereon all may harmoniously unite to serve the one and only God, who is omnipresent Spirit, omniactive Love, omnipotent good, as the Bible declares. The serving of the one God in the manner demanded by Christ Jesus, with "signs following," is made possible by Christian Science, thus showing that, on the basis of its demonstrated teachings, Christian Science is nothing less than the reinstatement of primitive Christianity. It is plain from Jesus' designation of a disciple that Christianity does not consist in merely believing certain things about God and His Son, Christ Jesus, but rather in thinking, living, and working in obedience to God's laws and in conformity to the example of the great Way-shower, Christ Jesus.

Although Christian Science is, perhaps, best known because of the healing of the sick, which is an integral part of its theology,—as it was with the Master,—the prime object of Christian Science is the destruction of sin, the overcoming of the world, the flesh, and all evil. Christian Scientists are humbly endeavoring, and with gratifying and encouraging success, to obey Jesus' dual and inseparable command to preach the gospel and heal the sick. Writing on page 135 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," the Christian Science textbook, Mrs. Eddy says: "It has been said, and truly, that Christianity must be Science, and Science must be Christianity, else one or the other is false and useless; but neither is unimportant or untrue, and they are alike in demonstration. This proves the one to be identical with the other. Christianity as Jesus taught it was not a creed, nor a system of ceremonies, nor a special gift from a ritualistic Jehovah; but it was the demonstration of divine Love casting out error and healing the sick, not merely in the name of Christ, or Truth, but in demonstration of Truth, as must be the case in the cycles of divine light."

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