Perfect Love

CHARLES V. WINN

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE is the revelation of divine Truth. Being altogether scientific, it possesses and manifests the two great essentials of all truth, universality and permanency. It is universally applicable to all phases of human experience; and its results are permanent and abiding. Being based on divine revelation, it is exact and unfailing, never empirical or hypothetical. It comes to the so-called human mind to show the absolute facts of existence, to eliminate all that is wrong, and to bring into our experience all that is right, true, and good. It destroys every erroneous, counterfeit sense of life, and reinstates divine reality. It gives us a divine standard whereby we may infallibly separate that which is actual from that which is false and illusive. In short, it unfolds that divine Love which our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, tells us (p. 225) "is the liberator."

The beloved disciple has declared that "there is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear;" and surely no greater boon could be bestowed on humanity than an understanding of the Science which will rid the world of fear, that archenemy of the human race. Nearly all systems of education and human philosophy recognize the pernicious effects of fear, but none of them has devised a remedy. They readily declare the deleterious effects of fear; but they do not show us the way to eradicate it.

Christian Science gives the spiritual understanding of the beloved apostle's words, which will irresistibly destroy fear and "reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth." God, Christian Science declares, is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent divine Love. His universe, including man, is the emanation, reflection, or manifestation of this infinite, immeasurable Love. Our revered Leader in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures"(p. 538), has defined the true nature of Deity as "Love infinitely wise and altogether lovely, who 'seeketh not her own.'" In other words, God's thought is wholly beneficent, infinitely unselfish, and unutterably kind. Inasmuch as God is perfect, it must be self-evident that the perfect love which reflects Him is that love from which every taint of selfishness and self-seeking has been eliminated, and whose only desire is to think unselfishly, kindly, and impartially. Were we ever afraid when we were planning a kindly, noble deed? Were we ever frightened when we were desirous of sharing with others the rich blessings which God had bestowed on us? Have we not often seen fear completely vanish when we forgot self and thought only of how we could manifest, reflect, and express more of good to others? It is just as impossible for unselfish love and fear to dwell together as it is for mist to remain in bright sunlight. When we think more of giving than of getting, more of reflecting than of absorbing, more of glorifying God than of exalting self, more of unselfish service than selfish ease, we shall find fear's visits becoming less and less frequent, and its stay shorter and shorter.

We often hear it said, "I should like to give my testimony in a Wednesday evening meeting, but when I get there I am so filled with fear that I just cannot get up." Fear of this kind will be found upon close analysis to be rooted in a belief of self—pride, fear of criticism, comparison with others. On the other hand, suppose we go there with our hearts full of an unselfed love for God and man, and a selfless desire to bring peace and healing to the stranger that is within our gates; we shall then find that fear has vanished—cast out by unselfed love.

We cannot conceive of God withholding the strength and ability that we want to use to glorify Him. We hear very frequently of working for this or demonstrating that; and very often we are sadly disappointed with results. When our thought is sufficiently unselfed and permeated with perfect love, we shall strive only to make ourselves worthy of the blessings; and then the blessings will unfailingly come. God's bounty and goodness only await man's worthiness, to be abundantly enjoyed.

Mrs. Eddy has covered the whole ground of human fear and its complete destruction on page 113 of "Miscellaneous Writings," where she says, "We have nothing to fear when Love is at the helm of thought, but everything to enjoy on earth and in heaven."

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit