Article October 31, 1925 Issue

True Attraction

ALEXANDER WARENDORFF

Our great spiritual Teacher, Christ Jesus, gave us the keynote for true attraction when he said, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." Through the spiritual understanding gained from the study of the Bible, in conjunction with the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, Christian Scientists may understand this to mean that as he, Jesus, lifted up the Christ, overcoming false beliefs in regard to man, all who were ready for the same blessing would be drawn to the truth. Christian Scientists also understand that each individual follower of Jesus may lift up the Christ or spiritual idea so that others will likewise see and come to the understanding and demonstration of Truth.

On page 22 of "Pulpit and Press" Mrs. Eddy wrote many years ago: "If the lives of Christian Scientists attest their fidelity to Truth, I predict that in the twentieth century every Christian church in our land, and a few in far-off lands, will approximate the understanding of Christian Science sufficiently to heal the sick in his name. Christ will give to Christianity his new name, and Christendom will be classified as Christian Scientists." What impetus, what longing to do his part faithfully in hastening the fulfillment of this prophecy, do these healing words inspire in the life of every Christian Scientist! What a debt of gratitude we owe our Leader for having lifted up the standard of Truth for us in this age! Where would we be to-day were it not for her toil and struggle to lift up the Christ by overcoming the false material belief of a selfhood apart from God?

Not long ago a beginner in the study of Christian Science was asked by a Christian Science practitioner how he became interested in Christian Science. His answer was: "My brother and his wife are fine Christian Scientists; every time they come to visit us we feel uplifted. They have something that seems to be lacking in our lives, and we wish to be Christian Scientists too." Here was true attraction; for without any special effort on the part of the two Christian Scientists, who were living what they had learned of Christian Science, two seekers were drawn to it. The earnestness and simplicity of the statement fell like a benediction from heaven, and immediately there was recalled a passage on pages 458 and 459 of our textbook, which Mrs. Eddy has written: "Christianity causes men to turn naturally from matter to Spirit, as the flower turns from darkness to light. Man then appropriates those things which 'eye hath not seen nor ear heard.'"

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