Editorial July 19, 1924 Issue

The Only True Incentive

Ella W. Hoag

In the endeavor to follow Truth there is only one incentive which will never falter, which can never fail. Only one purpose is strong enough to stand the stress of struggle, to resist the temptations which would allure into bypaths. Only unselfed love is able to go forward all untouched by everything which would claim to hinder and obstruct the way which all must finally tread. It alone can press perpetually onward with a song of rejoicing, however dark the shadows, however desperate the warfare, however great the demand for courage and faithfulness, for sacrifice and for victory.

Now unselfed love is much talked about, and there is probably no one who calls himself a Christian Scientist who does not recognize that sometime he must compass its meaning and its demonstration. It is, however, a goal that is not reached merely by wishing for it, for it can be won only through constant effort and the willingness to face all sorts of difficulties without flinching. To attain the heights that unselfed love must inevitably gain involves being a warrior who is determined never to lay down his weapons until every battle has been fought, every enemy has been conquered, every mountain has been ascended, until victory has been placed on every banner.

In Christian Science no healing has ever been accomplished, no word of Truth has ever been truly proclaimed, that has not had unselfed love as its incentive. In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 454) Mrs. Eddy says, "Love for God and man is the true incentive in both healing and teaching." How many of her followers have believed that they had love for both God and man; and yet how frequently have they seemed to fall short of successful healing and teaching! Has this not been because what they supposed was love for God and man had not yet been sufficiently unselfed to have a right to the name of love?

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