Article October 21, 1933 Issue

Writing for Our Periodicals

MARION SUSAN CAMPBELL

To write for our periodicals is the joyous privilege of all who feel they have a vital message of Truth to impart, and an accompanying sense of the gladness and certainty of spiritual vision. It is said that Fra Angelico, the early Italian painter, often prayed as he painted; and certainly no one should attempt to write for our periodicals without first lifting his thoughts to that mental attitude which constitutes prayer in Christian Science.

There are many things that should be prayerfully considered, and thoughtfully weighed, ere starting to write; and, to commence with, one's motive in writing should be honestly ascertained. Now, though no student of Christian Science would be induced to write simply for the satisfaction of seeing his name in print, still it would be well for him to examine his thought before he begins to write, and thus make sure that it is entirely free from any desire for personal applause. Error tries to hide itself; it takes a truly honest heart to look squarely and frankly into one's every motive. The expression of thought that is tinged with a desire for selfglorification must inevitably result in an article more or less devoid of freshness and spontaneity. In order to hear and record the ideas of beauty and inspiration that God, Mind, is ceaselessly and equally imparting to all His children, thought must be emptied of self and profoundly humble.

We should consider well whether we have a message to deliver that is vital and useful to the Cause of Christian Science, and be sure that we are not being swayed merely by a vague desire to write. Indeed, it would be well not to start to write unless we feel that the Father has given us a message so joyous and spiritually contagious that we can no longer keep it to ourselves. When the ideas we propose to give forth are valuable and capable of comforting and reassuring other searchers for Truth, we can then turn in childlike condidence to God, knowing that our Father has already endowed us with all the intelligence necessary to express these thoughts unencumbered by incoherence and undimmed by mental obscurity. "I can of mine own self do nothing" should be the constant underlying thought of every writer, followed by the confident assurance, I can, as a son of God, do all that my Father bids me do, and do it well.

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