Editorial February 2, 1929 Issue

Cooperation a Privilege

Duncan Sinclair

The Christian Science movement is phenomenal in that within seventy years it has become world-wide in the scope of its activities. In 1866, Christian Science was known only to its Discoverer and Founder, Mary Baker Eddy; to-day its teachings are known, loved, and practiced by millions of people. The phenomenal spread of Christian Science has nothing of the fortuitous about it; it has resulted from the persevering labors, the consecrated labors, of those who associated themselves with the movement after they had proved for themselves, through the healing of disease or sin, or some other form of evil, the truth of its teachings.

A study of the history of the Christian Science movement shows clearly that on the whole its members have been very loyal to the divine Principle which Christian Science reveals; in no other way can the spread of Christian Science and the healings it has brought about be accounted for. And it is impossible to dissociate this loyalty to Principle from loyalty to its Discoverer, Mrs. Eddy, the Leader of the Christian Science movement, and to her wishes as stated in her writings, including the Church Manual. In this connection it is interesting to read her words on pages 251 and 252 of "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany," since they concisely state what she expected of every genuine Christian Scientist. They are: "Adhere to the teachings of the Bible, Science and Health, and our Manual, and you will obey the law and gospel. Have one God and you will have no devil. Keep yourselves busy with divine Love."

If all Christian Scientists obeyed these words of Mrs. Eddy,—if they all adhered strictly to the Christianly scientific teaching of the Bible, Science and Health, and the Manual; if they all had only one God, good, and because of this gave neither reality nor power to evil; if they all kept themselves "busy with divine Love,"—would not the weary and heavy-laden, the sick, the sorrowful, the sinful, be coming to Christian Science in even far greater numbers than at present, there to find forgiveness and healing? Undoubtedly the world's belief in the reality of evil sets us many a problem. But as Christian Scientists are we as clear as we should be about the fact that to-day our united understanding of the allness of God, good, is having a tremendous effect in holding the criminal beliefs of the world in check? Are we recognizing as we should that erroneous thinking cannot possibly continue when opposed by enlightened spiritual understanding?

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