A New Sense of Love

ZOE H. CLARKE

Christian Science gives us a new understanding of love. The thought of love common to most people is a merely personal sense of love of family, love of friends, love of those who love us, almost to the exclusion of love for any other. But the Bible says, "Love your enemies, ... for if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?" And on page 312 of "Miscellaneous Writings" our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, says, "Love is consistent, uniform, sympathetic, self-sacrificing, unutterably kind." Each characteristic here stated lifts love far above the merely human sense of it, and makes it far more than love of personality.

A mother's love for her child in many respects fulfills the requirements of true loving. On page 60 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, we read, "A mother's affection cannot be weaned from her child, because the mother-love includes purity and constancy, both of which are immortal." But what we call love for one's friends may fluctuate, may vary. To-day we are tender and considerate, to-morrow we may be cold and haughty, perhaps because of some slight difference of opinion, or some variance of taste. Years pass, views alter, new aims and ambitions take the place of the old; and our one-time friends become strangers to us. Such love is neither uniform nor consistent.

Sympathetic! How much of the human sense of love is really sympathetic? Is it not apt to be tinged with a feeling of superiority, a self-righteousness that thanks God it is not "as other men"?

How much of the so-called love prevalent among mortals to-day is self-sacrificing? Is not might very often counted as right in the getting of this world's goods, in the process sacrificing honor, justice, yes, all save self?

Unutterably kind! Ah, so simple, and yet so rare! Are we kind? In our daily intercourse with those about us, with our families and with our friends, are we kind? Selfishness—love of self, of one's own opinions, of one's own desires, and the will to carry out one's own wishes—is an error that usurps the place of kindness. If the occasion should arise to correct another, do we kindly, gently, lovingly reprove, in order that we may help; or do we with a sense of irritation and anger, criticize? Criticism that is merely faultfinding and not constructively helpful is not the outcome of love and of a sincere desire to heal, but is one belief vaunting itself above another.

James Moffatt, D. D., has translated the thirteenth chapter of I Corinthians in part as follows; "Love is very patient, very kind. Love knows no jealousy; love makes no parade, gives itself no airs, is never rude, never selfish, never irritated, never resentful; love is never glad when others go wrong; love is gladdened by goodness, always slow to expose, always eager to believe the best, always hopeful, always patient. Love never disappears." When we measure the ordinary concept of love by such a standard as this it falls far short. It was this pure, unselfed sense of love that enabled Jesus to go about doing good, to feel compassion for the multitude, and to heal the sick. It was this same true sense of love that enabled Mrs. Eddy to give to the world Science and Health and to found the Christian Science movement.

In the simple experiences of everyday life we may manifest this new sense of love. Perhaps we have long neglected an old-time friend. Should we not put aside the seeming grievances? The friend's wavering faith may be steadied by our attitude of absolute assurance of the allness of God, good, which we have gained through the study of Christian Science. Should we not help the one struggling with bitterness and disappointment to the light of Truth, to the knowledge that good is manifest and everywhere present? Should we not endeavor to know the truth about man for the one who, apparently, has wandered far and is wasting "his substance with riotous living;" instead of looking upon him as a sinful mortal, should we not endeavor to see him as man in reality is,—the son of God, sinless, perfect, harmonious, and eternal?

Thus shall "the love that is talked, be felt! and so lived, that when weighed in the scale of God we be not found wanting" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 312), and the meaning of the admonition, "Love thy neighbour as thyself," shall have been learned and fulfilled.

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