Editorial December 27, 1930 Issue

Confidence in Christian Science

Duncan Sinclair

The confidence which Christian Scientists have in their religion has frequently been commented upon by other religionists, who have seen how they have remained steadfast under ridicule and perhaps persecution, and have persisted in spite of these in carrying on the work of the Christian Science movement. Many have wondered at this and asked why it should be, feeling that there must be a well-defined reason for such trust and pertinacity. In this they were right; for assuredly every Christian Scientist worthy of the name is able to account for the faith that is in him. If the question were to be put directly to him, Why have you confidence in Christian Science? his answer would in all probability be, I have confidence in Christian Science because I have put its teachings to the test and have not found them wanting.

The Christian Scientist always takes the inquirer back to the teachings of Christian Science, seeking to show that these teachings in which he has confidence are provable or demonstrable. He knows that a mere statement regarding Truth is not of itself sufficient to establish faith in Truth, but that the statement must be proved to the individual before his confidence in it can be established. Take the case of one who may possibly have somewhat skeptically when first he heard it declared by Christian Science that evil is unreal, even in the light of the truth that God, good, is infinite, and that consequently, disease in its every form is without reality. The truth had been declared, however, and he had to ponder it; and being sick, perhaps, he had an opportunity of putting it to the test. And doing this, by holding firmly to the truth that only good is real, and denying reality to evil, he was healed. Mrs. Eddy's words were thus confirmed in his experience (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 368): "The confidence inspired by Science lies in the fact that Truth is real and error is unreal. Error is a coward before Truth. Divine Science insists that time will prove all this."

Always do the truths about God and man, which Christian Science reveals, support the Christian Scientist. God to him is the infinite One, continually manifesting good. "In him we live, and move, and have our being," as Paul says. And man is the image of God, the perfect image or reflection of God. Furthermore, since God is infinite Spirit, matter (so called) is unreal; and there is therefore in reality no material or mortal man. This understanding of God and the real man never fails the Christian Scientist. It inspires his every effort to overcome sin and disease. As our Leader says on page 3 of "Pulpit and Press," "Our surety is in our confidence that we are indeed dwellers in Truth and Love, man's eternal mansion."

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