Article April 11, 1925 Issue

Need of the Spirit

ALEXANDER WARENDORFF

ON page 113 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mrs. Eddy has written: "The vital part, the heart and soul of Christian Science, is Love. Without this, the letter is but the dead body of Science,—pulseless, cold, inanimate." The experience of a Christian Scientist proved conclusively the truth of this statement, and showed that wrong thought is enough to prevent a healing. It also proved that words do not always to Love.

Before the study of Christian Science was taken up, there had existed a bitter feud between a relative and the student, and through this quarrel two families had been separated. During the first two years of his study the Scientist experienced many beautiful healings; but one claim, which seemed hardest to overcome, refused to yield in spite of all the study and mantal work done by himself and a Christian Science practitioner. Meanwhile, every morning during summer season the supposedly bitter foe passed the Scientist's home on his way to the train. One morning the Scientist's to the fact that not only had he been ignoring this relative, but he had been harboring resentment against him. Although, through his study of Christian Science, he had gained sufficient spiritual understanding about man's true relationship to God to know the truth about the situation, he was not using this understanding. He asked himself whether Love was passive or active; and the answer came with no uncertainty, revealing Love as omniactive and showing clearly that prompted him not be inactive. Further inquiry prompted him to deal with this claim as one would with a belief of sickness, in order to destroy the lie.

With the taking up of the metaphysical work, love became active in the Scientist's thought, and he began to see that God's ideas are actually one harmonious family dwelling together in unity and love; he saw that they could never be separated by a belief of hatred. As customary, the next morning the so-called enemy passed the Scientist's home on his way to the station, and just as he came into sight this Bible verse came to the student: "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." Not a word had been spoken; but when the student reached the station the supposed foe, standing at a news stand, hailed him thus: "What the use of our being bad friends any longer; which paper will you have?" Throughout the day that Bible verse kept coming to the Scientist's thought, also the pleasant salution, and he conscious of the fact that he was free from the disease which had claimed to be so persistent for two years. It has never returned, and the healing took place many years ago. This was not all the good which came from that healing; for without a word, or any further work on the Scientist's part, the two families were once more lovingly united.

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"Thou God seest me"
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