Article April 16, 1932 Issue

Christian Science Textbooks in Business

JOHN W. W. CASSELS

A young student of Christian Science began work of an unfamiliar nature. Accordingly, it seemed necessary to study some textbooks on the subject. At the same time he felt the necessity of studying Christian Science at every available moment; and he could not persuade himself that any benefit could come from neglecting this study, however meritorious might be the study of other textbooks. He was equally sure that God had given him this new work to do. He therefore decided to continue his search for Truth as before, and to trust God to unfold to him the method of acquiring the extra knowledge he needed.

He soon learned that his decision was a right one. He found all the information necessary for the right conduct of his new work in the Bible and "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. Could there be sounder advice for example to the salesman than these words from the first chapter of Jeremiah: "Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces"? Or, could there be a clearer definition of business than that given by Paul in II Corinthians: "I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want"?

The student learned that whatever the problem, the solution was to be found in an intelligent search of the Scriptures. For instance, he was once given a list of thirty thousand customers and told to show what he could do with them. Many had been inactive for years, and a fair proportion of their addresses would be obsolete. He therefore sought some rule whereby he might select only the names of those likely to become active if approached. "Spirit diversifies, classifies, and individualizes all thoughts," came the answer from Science and Health (p. 513). The student saw that his work was to let Spirit, Mind, guide him. As he sought, under God's guidance, to identify those who were needing what his firm had to give, two thousand names were selected and an appropriate letter sent them. The result was a record for that month of the year.

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