Article August 23, 1924 Issue

Helping Others

CLARENCE W. CHADWICK

Christian Science is a religion of helpfulness. It is a knowledge of God put into practice. It is good made manifest in demonstration. The unselfish desire to lighten another's burdens is one of the first signs of individual awakening to spiritual life. This desire may at first show itself in an overzealous effort to help others before learning how to help one's self. But when this "not according to knowledge" period is passed, one finds himself face to face with the problem of first lifting his own burdens before proclaiming what he can do for others. The beam in one's own eye claims to be a very negligible quantity until Truth is spiritually discerned. Then we see the importance of working out our own salvation; and the gentleness, humility, and love which we express are a standing invitation, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden." When we can say with the heart, "I can of mine own self do nothing," but "the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works," then it is that we are prepared to do real constructive work for others.

It is indeed true, as our Leader says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 449), that "a grain of Christian Science does wonders for mortals, so omnipotent is Truth." This helps one to understand the truly wonderful demonstration of the three Hebrew captives in the Babylonian furnace and that of Daniel in the presence of the lions. Who of us, grateful for all that we know of Truth, for all the helpful proofs that have come to us in Christian Science, for the spiritual understanding of God's healing power which we humbly claim as our own—who of us to-day would be able literally to face such conditions and to experience such results? We do not question the authenticity of these experiences, because we have ourselves proved the divine Principle of such experiences to be demonstrably true. Convincing proofs of God's power and presence are daily taking place with Christian Scientists, many of them too sacred to give out to the world; but no student of Science has yet attained to the standard of the Master. If what has been accomplished for the world by "a grain of Christian Science" is worthy of being termed wonderful, what may be said when instantaneous healing shall have become the rule and not the exception?

The advent of Christian Science in individual consciousness confers the ability to prove to others that it is God's will that man should be well, happy, and strong. Apart from the teachings of Christian Science no one can lay claim to the spiritual understanding that enables him to discard all material methods of healing. There are some who do rely upon a blind faith in God, and who do not take medicine; but this does not mean that they understand the divine Principle of Christian healing. Many there are who admit that spiritual healing should be a function of the Christian Church, but who seem unable to serve one master only. The humble acceptance of Mrs. Eddy's scientific explanation of matter, coupled with willing obedience to that Mind which was in Christ Jesus, very soon enables one to prove the loving helpfulness of a healing religion. Those who insist upon serving two masters have little that will be of practical benefit to any one. Faith in matter as having intelligence or power leaves one stranded in the quicksands of human belief. Faith in the living God, who is as unconscious of disease as He is of sin, includes an understanding of the nothingness of matter and its self-assumed laws; else it is not faith at all, and is not really helpful to any one. Jesus said, "Have faith in God;" but he did not say to have faith in God and matter. Christian Science from the very start specifically defines God to human apprehension; and this is done so accurately and scientifically that thousands of people experience immediate healing from prayerfully reading the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. All parts of the world are witnessing the healing activity of Christian Science as this Science becomes more generally and better understood.

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