Article March 15, 1930 Issue

Tolerance as Brotherly Love

GEORGE J. SCHANTZ

On page 57 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy writes: "Happiness is spiritual, born of Truth and Love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it." Inasmuch as Christian Science is a religion of love, we may well ponder these words of our beloved Leader and inquire how unselfish is our desire to have all mankind share our religion with us. We may be unaware that we are limiting the scope of our religion; but even if not always recognized as such, intolerance of thought, word, or deed is a denial of the universal redemptive power of Christian Science.

This Science comes with the sweet assurance that we may free ourselves from the tendency to condemn others; and it teaches us how this freedom may be acquired. When through the prayerful study of Christian Science one awakens to the spiritual nature of man as the child of God, infinite Spirit, joy and peace are found in seeing all others in their real being as children of God. The first glimpse of the great spiritual fact that in reality all are equal in the sight of God tempers the tendency to condemn one's fellow men. One begins to cherish more love in his heart, and to rise above the inclination to regard any as outside the realm of salvation.

The joy which always accompanies spiritual awakening becomes so much a part of one's consciousness that one has neither time nor inclination to become unduly exercised over the shortcomings of others. One rejoices in the measure of light he has received, and refrains from condemnation of others because of any supposed spiritual darkness. If one should find himself thinking that another has become so deeply submerged in a dreaded form of error, or that it has woven its web about him for so long a time that freedom seems impossible, would it not be well to turn humbly to God and ask guidance in removing from one's own thinking the error that would stigmatize anyone with the belief of abiding sin? If men are not to be saved now, when are they to be saved?

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