Article October 15, 1932 Issue

Fidelity

CHARLOTTE M.FOX

IN one of his parables Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to a grain of mustard seed, "which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, . . . becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof." In another parable he likened the kingdom of heaven "unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat." This parable implies the need for protecting the seed of Truth after its planting, by watchfully guarding against the sowing of tares.

To many of us, upon coming into the study of Christian Science, it may seem an easy thing to give up some of the activities and pursuits in which we formerly indulged, for the demands of Truth. In the first glorious realization of the truths of Christian Science, the path ahead often seems rosy, but the planting of the seed is only the beginning. The wise gardener knows that the certainty of his later gathering of fruit depends largely upon his protecting the seed after planting from the intrusion of tares. And so, if we wish to progress, we find that continuance in well-doing is the most important thing. We must devote ourselves to the truth, nourishing our understanding by systematic and consecrated study of the Bible and the writings of our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, using the truth we already know, and thereby preventing evil suggestions from taking root in our thinking.

On page 182 of "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" Mrs. Eddy write: "In 1884, I taught a class in Christian Science and formed a Christian Scientist Association in Chicago. From this small sowing of the seed of Truth, which, when sown, seemed the least among seeds, sprang immortal fruits through God's blessing and the faithful labor of loyal students,—the healing of the sick, the reforming of the sinner, and First Church of Christ, Scientist, with its large membership and majestic cathedral." "Through God's blessing and the faithful labor of loyal students"! Is not the fruitage of Christian Science still dependent upon the same blessing and loyalty, upon the continued fidelity of individual Christian Scientists? What else could Mrs. Eddy's words mean where she says (Pulpit and Press, p. 22), "If the lives of Christian Scientists attest their fidelity to Truth, I predict that in the twentieth century every Christian church in our land, and a few in far-off lands, will approximate the understanding of Christian Science sufficiently to heal the sick in his name"?

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