Editorial May 23, 1931 Issue

Individual, not Vicarious

Violet Ker Seymer

One does not enter heaven as a spectator but as an actor, and material concepts must be sacrificed to make way for the perception and reception of permanent, spiritual treasures in consciousness. Christian Science has restored the true sense of God and of man. Therefore our prayer is that we may lay down every thought, trait, and desire that is unworthy of man in God's likeness. This, according to Christian Science, is the way of at-one-ment; and it is individual.

The human sense of love and unselfishness may cause another to shirk his individual duty to God, to himself, and to his fellows. The so-called carnal mind is given to evading the demands of Truth; and personal sense is wont either to lean or to be leaned upon. We can help and cheer others along the pathway of demonstration, but no one can walk along it for them, any more than he could nourish them by eating their repast as well as his own. After a night's rest each one must needs wake, rise, wash, dress, and go about his duty for himself. The energy and promptness of one member of a household could not take the place of energy, promptness, and cooperative work in another. In Christian Science this applies equally to the daily mental work to be done in consciousness, and to individual study and prayer. Each one must sooner or later waken to the truth of being, rise to obey the demands of divine Principle, be cleansed of error, and do his share of work in the world.

Isaiah depicts the loving cooperation and encouragement between the carpenter and the goldsmith; betweemn the worker smoothing with the hammer and the one using the anvil; between the one soldering and the other securely fastening in the nails; and he says, "They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage." Evidently there was mutual encouragement and interest expressed, yet no vicariousness; each one was expected to carry on his own appointed task. Paul said, "Let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another."

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