Article December 30, 1933 Issue

True Economy

MARIE DERL SCHREIER

As students of Christian Science we are called upon to prove the By-Laws given by Mrs. Eddy in our Church Manual. Perhaps at the time of study we do not realize that, although listed under special headings, they may also be applied to our everyday affairs. One such rule (Art. XXIV, Sect. 5), "God requires wisdom, economy, and brotherly love to characterize all the proceedings of the members of The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist," had been read and pondered by a student, and had, so she thought, been applied. One day, however, she realized that unwittingly she had evaded analyzing and applying the definition of "economy." "Wisdom" and "brotherly love" seemed to her desirable qualities, and she had been striving to manifest them in thought and deed; but "economy" seemed to her to carry a negative note, an indication of lack, and she had, as it were, been walking around it. But on this day the thought came clearly that no quality of divine Principle is negative; so a dictionary definition was sought and found to be constructive, for it describes "economy" as "the system by which anything is managed," and also "divine government of human affairs." She then realized how much of good she had been missing, for she now found in this higher sense of economy the divine system for managing all her affairs.

No doubt many other students have had a sense of deprivation in connection with the thought of economy, but this was due to a merely material sense of it. Generally speaking, the word "economy" has been regarded as indicating a mode of living to be especially practiced when financial lack has seemed near. But economy, according to the dictionary definition, is not this. It means that we shall at all times make wise use of all our resources and abilities. Thus perhaps the man of wealth may more intelligently practice economy than his brother in humbler circumstances. True economy, as understood in Christian Science, is not based on fear, but on spiritual understanding; and thus true economy, understood and demonstrated, will eliminate any sense of deprivation. On page 454 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" our Leader says, "Love inspires, illumines, designates, and leads the way." Then why fear to practice true economy, since it means a wise use of divine ideas and covers everything that comes within the range of one's experience, including thoughts, words, and deeds? It is as unwise to accept erroneous thoughts as to accept counterfeit coin. To waste words is equally unwise, and to act through self-will and without God's guidance is to waste time and effort, for there is no genuine progress without spiritual enlightenment.

Mrs. Eddy was divinely guided in her choice of words, and we may be certain that the terms used in the aforementioned By-Law, "wisdom, economy, and brotherly love," were given for our benefit and practical use. Taken together they make one harmonious whole, for economy without wisdom is not true economy. We must have spiritual understanding in order to practice true economy. With spiritual understanding, we reject as spurious the material suggestions of mortal mind and accept the true ideas of divine Mind. These ideas of Love inspire and guide us into the proper use of all our resources. They point the way in which we should walk, and protect us from the deceptive suggestions of mortal thinking that would attempt to cheat us of our inheritance.

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