Article February 21, 1931 Issue

The Kingdom First

JOHN ERSKINE GRANT SANDFORD

The sayings of Jesus are of peculiar importance to the Christian Scientist, not only because they are eternal statements of truth, as witness the Master's prophecy of their permanence, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away," but because he recognizes that only by following Jesus' sayings in demonstration can he prove himself a Christian Scientist in deed as well as in name. On page 94 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy writes, "The progress of truth confirms its claims, and our Master confirmed his words by his works." The Christian Scientist knows that it is his sacred duty to do likewise.

Throughout her writings Mrs. Eddy frequently cites the sayings of Jesus with luminous comments and explanations. In one place, characterizing them as "infinitely important," she very definitely declares that in order to understand them "his followers must grow into that stature of manhood in Christ Jesus which enables them to interpret his spiritual meaning. Then they know how Truth casts out error and heals the sick" (Science and Health, p. 350). Surely the knowledge to be thus gained is the "pearl of great price," implying as it must the ability to prove by one's works that faith has become merged in spiritual understanding.

One of these sayings of Jesus is recorded in Matthew's Gospel as follows: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." The quest of "all these things," such as relief from physical infirmity or besetting sin, from the worries and troubles that sometimes seem to make material existence intolerable, and from the apparent lack of those supplies and comforts which we deem essential, has led many to Christian Science as a last resort. When to human sense these latter are withheld, we are apt to murmur. We wonder why we have been brought up out of Egypt, since the promised land still seems so far off. Ignoring the error that has caused us to evade the indispensable condition, we place the loaves and fishes first and the kingdom of God, it may be, a long way after in our thoughts. It was this error which Jesus rebuked after he had satisfied the material cravings of the multitude by the shores of the Sea of Galilee. When our demonstration seems protracted and difficult, may it not be well to examine our thought to see whether the delay may not be due to the same lack of love for and loyalty to Truth for Truth's sake?

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