"God's gracious means"

W. Stuart Booth

Christian Science is a wonderful boon and blessing to mankind because, through its inspired and demonstrable teachings, men become intelligently acquainted with God. This acquaintance reveals God, not only as divine Love bestowing all good impartially and universally, but also as divine Principle governing and guarding all reality with the perfect law of harmony and justice. Christ Jesus demonstrated the practical application of divine Love and the operation of the law of perfect Principle in the affairs of humanity, for by means of spiritual power our Master healed all manner of disease, denied and destroyed sin, and overcame death. His statements to those who doubted and persecuted him indicate that his purpose was not only to meet human needs, but principally to verify his teaching about God. Repeatedly he said that his marvelous works were due solely to the power and presence of God.

Since God is unchanging and impartial Love, or Principle, then the spiritual means whereby our Exemplar proved God's goodness are available to all, even as Christ Jesus promised definitely and repeatedly. Mary Baker Eddy discerned, declared, and demonstrated this fact. Her declaration of the truth in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," is so logical, simple, and practical that the divine means used by the Master are being employed widely today in meeting human needs. And what are these means? Mrs. Eddy answers this question on the first page of Science and Health in the words, "Prayer, watch ing, and working, combined with self-immolation, are God's gracious means for accomplishing whatever has been successfully done for the Christianization and health of mankind." Undeniably these were the spiritual means employed by Christ Jesus.

Mankind has been wrongly educated to believe that God is afar off, and that, separated in belief from Deity, men are supposed to reach out to Him through prayer and blind faith. Because of this error mankind has seemed to be deprived of the spiritual means employed by Christ Jesus in his practical ministry. Until the light of spiritual understanding gained in Christian Science dispelled these false concepts of God and man, prayer may have been regarded by many as a mere human yearning or desire, and the "watching, and working" likewise deemed to be but human efforts. But Christian Science, being based upon the infinitude, the allness, of God and His omnipotence, points out the assuring, yes, the inspiring, fact that God not only gives all of good—of health, harmony, peace, and life—but that the infinite love of God provides the means whereby His gracious gifts are to be gained. Hence "prayer, watching, and working" are to be identified with divine Mind, Love; for then they are found to be effectual indeed.

Christian Science ascribes all power, all presence, all ability to God, the one perfect and all-providing Mind. Therefore, when a Christian Scientist is faced with a problem of sickness or any discord, he must perforce look to God, not only for the answer to prayer, but also for the right ideas, for the inspiration, spiritual desire, and spiritual understanding which constitute true prayer. God is always imparting exactly the true idea which is needed to correct and heal every specific human problem. Humble and grateful turning to God's Word as found in the Bible and Science and Health, together with Mrs. Eddy's other writings, serves to bring into operation in human consciousness these healing spiritual messages.

As Christian Scientists learn to identify their watching and their working with God, their thought is uplifted to see that they have but to watch for good and work for good. Their alert watching for good uncovers evil as false, unattractive, and powerless; and their consistent working for good eliminates belief in evil from their thought and from their experiences.

The recognition of these truths led Paul to write to the Christians in Philippi: "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Since God is divine Mind, Truth, and Love, then He worketh in us by means of Mind's true, loving, spiritual ideas. As we identify our prayers, our Christian Science treatments, with God—see them as "God's gracious means"—we shall have full faith in God's power to bring to pass in human experience the harmony, health, and Christianization which glorify Him and bespeak His government.

W. Stuart Booth

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August 20, 1932

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