Editorial June 20, 1925 Issue

Right Discipline

Ella W. Hoag

Some of Webster's synonyms for "discipline" are to form, teach, instruct, chasten. Right discipline, therefore, should always be recognized as tending towards reformation, as being helpful rather than harmful, as being a beneficent instead of a stultifying measure. It may therefore be readily understood that it is something to be welcomed rather than avoided. The reason discipline has frequently been considered undesirable is that it has been looked upon as punitive only; and punishment has been held almost universally to be hateful and destructive. Human experience would seem to justify this view, since an understanding of the true purpose which should underlie all discipline has nearly always been lacking.

The Bible is full of admonitions to hear instruction and to submit to chastening in order that perfection and wisdom may be brought into evidence. In Revelation the Spirit is represented as saying, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." Hence all right discipline must have its basis in divine Love; and he is indeed wise who not only accepts but gratefully welcomes the divine correction, which inevitably has reformation as its holy intent.

When Christian Science is accepted, one quickly learns that discipline must accompany him all the way from earth to heaven. He learns that a transforming process must begin and continue in him until he awakes in the veritable likeness of God, and that this can be brought about only as he is willing to accept and put into practice the teaching or instruction which rebukes and chastens all false sense until it is relinquished and thus proved to be unreal, nothing.

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