Article January 2, 1926 Issue

The Simplicity of Christian Science

HANNAH M. FRANKEN

The teachings of Christian Science are exact, being based on the law of Truth, on knowledge gained through spiritual sense, and verified by observation and correct thinking. One of the many advantages presented by Christian Science is its simplicity. Being simple, in the true sense of the word, it is necessarily pure, unadulterated, convincing, neither compound nor complex; therefore it is readily understood even by the very young child. It also shows that whatever is necessary for one to know is knowable and demonstrable. Christian Science introduces us to God as infinite intelligence. It teaches and proves that we, His children, are His offspring, made, as the Bible says, in His image and likeness. The beloved John was very close to Jesus the Christ, and through love for him and obedience to his teachings came to this realization: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God." This clear vision was the result of John's understanding of God and of man's relationship to Him. Since God is Mind, infinite intelligence, and since man reflects this Mind and intelligence, it follows that it is our birthright to receive this intelligence, naturally, readily, always, in order that we may apply it to the solution of the problems which present themselves. To one who has never studied the textbook of Christian Science, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, its teachings may seem difficult to understand. This is readily explained when, after catching only a glimpse of the truth it unfolds, we see that it is contrary to many things we have erroneously accepted as true. It however presents to us, simply and clearly, the teachings of the Master and the prophets.

It would not be logical for the principal of a school to place a child who had never attended school or had any previous education, in any but the lowest elementary grade. Having been placed where the wisdom of the principal has directed, the child naturally imbibes the methods and the lesson which the teacher presents. The mother does not expect her child to do more than the grade work calls for. When the child obeys and carries out the rules taught him, he not only obtains correct results, but receives the high mark indicating work correctly done.

When one receives his first healing through the application of Christian Science, whether it be a healing of physical discord, ignorance of God, or any inharmonious condition, the simplicity of the truth of Christian Science is apparent. The efficacy of its method and the correctness of its statements are certain. In other words, the one who has applied its rules, by adherence to the teachings found in the textbook, had earned the right to receive a high mark in the specific problem he had solved. This, however, does not imply that he understands all of the truth which the book contains, any more than that the child in the first grade has grasped the methods of solving the more difficult problems of algebra, calculus, or advanced mathematics.

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