Article October 13, 1928 Issue

Proper Pleading

W. STUART BOOTH

In answer to the question, "How would you define Christian Science?" found in "Rudimental Divine Science" (p. 1), Mrs. Eddy replies, "As the law of God, the law of good, interpreting and demonstrating the divine Principle and rule of universal harmony." It is most illuminating that Mrs. Eddy should in this intimate manner associate law with the Science of Christianity, as she has done in this definition and in many other instances in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" and her other writings. Moreover, it has been proved undeniably that Christian Science furnishes the exact knowledge of the immutable law of God, which was declared and perfectly demonstrated by Christ Jesus, who said, "Verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."

In conveying and clarifying her spiritual teachings, Mrs. Eddy has followed the example of Christ Jesus, who taught largely by parable; for she has employed many helpful illustrations, some of which are based upon court practices. Among these illustrative and illuminating passages she presents in Science and Health (pp. 430–442) an allegory of a trial, as cases are tried in court, where a person is charged with having broken a decree of so-called health laws, and is being punished with illness. The plea of Christian Science, the attorney for the defendant, as set forth in this allegory, is productive of right results, because it is based solely upon divine law.

In the United States of America, when a person is admitted to the legal profession he takes an oath to obey the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the state admitting him to practice. In this oath the lawyer aligns himself as an officer of the court. In other words, his sworn duty as an attorney at law is to serve the court before which he appears on behalf of a client, by presenting the facts in the case, and by stating the law in connection with it, and thereby assisting the court to arrive at a just and equitable decision. The intent is that the lawyer shall first of all be an officer of the court, and that consideration for his client shall be subservient to that primal duty, it being assumed as a matter of course that everyone desires that only justice to all concerned shall be decreed by the court.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

"While they are yet speaking"