Editorial January 29, 1927 Issue

True Worship

Albert F. Gilmore

Jesus ' memorable statement to the Samaritan woman at the well of Sychar contains valuable information as regards true worship. For this woman, who in common with all Samaritans worshiped on Mount Gerizim, he defined true worship. He denied the authenticity of the Samaritans' form of religious observance, declaring that they knew not what they worshiped. "We know what we worship," he asserted, adding, "Salvation is of the Jews," and, "The true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth."

In these terse sentences, Christ Jesus set for all time the true standard of worship. "In spirit and in truth" must true devotees look to God, if they are to partake of the heavenly blessings the bountiful Father has provided for all. To gain the full significance of Jesus' words, it must be recalled that while the Samaritans had taken over the letter of the Jewish religion, had adopted its outward rites and ceremonies, they had not attained its deeper meanings. Their concept of God was far different from that which Christ Jesus held. They adhered to the Jehovistic idea of God as endowed with magnified human traits, attributes, and characteristics. Since Jesus knew their concept of God to be false, he could declare that the worshipers in Gerizim knew not what they worshiped; that is, had no adequate concept of Deity. But with the understanding of God as Spirit, a concept of Deity which Jesus was the first to gain and reveal, came the possibility of true worship, based upon knowledge of God's real nature.

Christian Science enables its students adequately to worship God, for it reveals the divine nature and attributes more fully than they have ever before been revealed. Christian Scientists, therefore, worship with more understanding and with more effectiveness, because they worship more spiritually. Mrs. Eddy's statement as to the character of true worship is definite. On page 140 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" she writes: "Worshipping through the medium of matter is paganism. Judaic and other rituals are but types and shadows of true worship." The God whom Christian Scientists worship is Spirit, Love, which is unchanging, eternal, divine. This true concept of God attained, the question arises, How may we best worship Him? By keeping His commandments; by conforming our thoughts to the divine; by holding constantly to the facts of being, of God as universal Love, of man as His perfect likeness, of the universe as the emanation of God, containing nothing material—a universe of spiritual ideas. As we hold firmly to this understanding, we become true worshipers, who worship the Father "in spirit and in truth."

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