Article March 24, 1928 Issue

Saints of Caesar's Household

FREDERICK STARR CAMPBELL

THE Apostle Paul, writing to the Philippian church, conveys the greetings of the brethren in Rome, where he was prisoner, making especial mention of "the saints . . . that are of Caesar's household." How vivid is the contrast depicted in this significant phrase! In the emperor's palace, that citadel of worldliness and corruption, there were saints!

In the New Testament the word "saints" is often employed to designate those who had learned the facts about God and man, and were striving to express their understanding in daily life. They had not yet attained to perfect sainthood, but, as Paul puts it when addressing these same Roman disciples, they were "called to be saints." In short, they were Christians. Like students of Christian Science to-day, they represented varying degrees of progress as pressed on in the pathway to holiness. Those who incline to the opinion that a change of environment would facilitate their spiritual growth may find it helpful to remember that in the household of even the notorious Nero there were saints. Verily, then, one may be a Christian anywhere.

A Christian Scientist is one who is striving to be a right thinker. His situation, whether considered favorable or unfavorable, does not affect the necessity or opportunity for spiritualizing his consciousness. One cannot escape from his own thinking. He carries his mentality with him wherever he goes. In times past, many sincerely religious individuals have sought to avoid the world's wickedness by fleeing to the seclusion of the wilderness or cloister, hoping thus to dwell undisturbed in holy meditation. But they discovered that this did not free them from the temptation of evil thinking. Supposedly better circumstances will not relieve anyone from the task of guarding his door of thought.

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