Editorial February 8, 1930 Issue

Values

Clifford P. Smith

Almost everybody needs to cultivate the true sense of values and the application thereof. Nearly everybody needs to develop and exercise more intelligently his ability to distinguish between and estimate truly the different factors that may enter into and influence human character and life. Most of us do not give enough attention to this aspect of mental practice. Consequently, we are apt to magnify the importance of some things and to underestimate other things.

For this aspect of mental practice, we need to have and use a criterion with which to test every object or subject of thought as to its quality and value. All Christians agree that this standard is spiritual. On this point, the Founder of Christianity has spoken; he has said, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing." In other words, it is the spiritual that gives life; the material is of no value. This criterion, to be found in the Master's words, is comprehensible and practicable, but it is expressed in general terms. Paul has shown that the ability to discern and judge all things spiritual belongs essentially to "the mind of Christ," which "we have." (See I Corinthians 2:11—16.) Nevertheless, there are many differences and diversities among Christians, even among Christian Scientists, in the application of this spiritual standard to the innumerable objects and subjects of human thought. Possibly, therefore, a more definite test is needed.

In its primitive state, religion was apt to consist mainly of interdictions. Devotion consisted of abstaining from this and that as required by religious sanctions. The chief priest or most religious person of any group was the one who could list the most taboos. Traces of that primitive state still linger in religious thought. Even now, with many Christians, religion is more negative than affirmative. The Mosaic "Thou shalt not" is not yet fulfilled in the Christian "Thou shalt," even though the great Teacher adopted the latter mode explicitly. (See Matthew 22:34–40.) Christian Science, like original Christianity, aims to fulfill, not to destroy, the good in primitive religion; and Christian Science, even more than original Christianity, insists on the affirmative nature of sacred obligations. Estimating all duties at their spiritual value, this Science sums them up for each aspirer as the duty to be and do good, the obligation of active goodness. All other obligations are incidental or secondary to this one. The conclusion here stated is implicit at many places in Mrs. Eddy's writings (for instance, on page 4 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures"), and it is to be found more explicitly on page 8 of her Message to The Mother Church for 1902, as follows: "Scientific Christianity works out the rule of spiritual love; it makes man active, it prompts perpetual goodness, for the ego, or I, goes to the Father, whereby man is Godlike."

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

Values

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access