"Ambassadors for Christ"

MARTHA E. A. SOOST

"The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage." Sincere Christian Scientists who are daily striving through unselfed love to take part in the great redeeming work of freeing mankind from sin, sickness, and death, can surely join with the Psalmist in these words. It may truly be said of them that they are "ambassadors for Christ," as Paul writes; and to them may also apply the prophet's words, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings."

It was not until she pondered the meaning of the word "ambassador" that the writer realized what an exalted office an ambassador occupies, and how fittingly the word applies to the true Christian Scientist. An ambassador does not dwell in his own country; and Mrs. Eddy writes in our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 254), "Pilgrim on earth, thy home is heaven; stranger, thou art the guest of God." An ambassador represents the interests of his country in all respects. Paul could hardly have chosen a more suitable word for the early defenders of the truth, those who proclaimed the heavenly message of the invisible but ever present kingdom of heaven. They were indeed ambassadors in a foreign land, defending the truth revealed to them by their Master, Christ Jesus, and not allowing mortal ignorance to divert them from their purpose. For about three hundred years this office of spiritual ambassadorship was faithfully filled by the early Christians. Then it seemed that the truth was gradually lost sight of until, finally, comparatively few knew for certain whether or not such a heavenly kingdom existed.

Our beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, speaks of herself as an "ambassador of Christ's teachings" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 141). What courage was necessary in the one who was the first in our age to declare with conviction that there is a kingdom where sin, disease, and death are unknown, and that this kingdom is attainable here and now! How deeply indebted are we to our Leader, who was privileged to reveal the truth concerning spiritual man's unrecognized spiritual country, and who by making her heavenly message accessible to everyone through the Christian Science textbook, made it possible for every earnest seeker to be an ambassador for Christ, Truth.

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