Article April 29, 1933 Issue

The Perfect Gift

DAVID ALLEMAN VAN VOORHIS

It is recorded in the third chapter of Acts that Peter and John were about to enter "into the temple at the hour of prayer" when a certain lame man "whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, ... seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms." Peter, looking at him who was "expecting to receive something of them," spoke the liberating words, "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." And he who had long been in bondage, "leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God." What a beautiful gift, one which far outweighed any amount of gold and silver that might have been placed in the hands of the afflicted one! What joy Peter must have felt in seeing the lame man respond to the truth which he uttered! And what joy the student of Christian Science experiences today when he sees the claims of false belief yielding to the understanding of God's ever operative law of good, which, rightly applied, destroys every phase of error!

Truly can it be said that the apostle's gift to the man at the temple was the highest that can be given, for it was the word of Truth which makes free. Herein, then, is to be seen the nature of the true gift. Obviously, it cannot be material or temporal. Did not Peter's bestowal far exceed any material sense giving which could be manifested only in a finite, material object? The real gift is above and beyond matter. It is spiritual, eternal, continuous, and carries within itself the power to bless. Good thoughts—thoughts which emanate from the one divine Mind—are true gifts, and ever available for all to receive and utilize. Mankind must become aware of this, and thus purify its concept of giving. How clearly our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, must have realized this is shown in her words in "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" (pp. 262, 263), "Material gifts and pastimes tend to obliterate the spiritual idea in consciousness, leaving one alone and without His glory."

In illustrating the result of true giving, as contrasted with the giving of material gifts, a teacher in a Christian Science Sunday School, in answer to a pupil's inquiry, said: "Now, if I were to give you my watch, it would cease to be mine. If, in turn, you should give it to a friend, it would no longer be yours, but would belong to the one in possession of it. In no case could you give the watch away and still claim it as your own. On the other hand, if I were to express to you a true thought about God and His perfect, eternal creation and you, in turn, were to express it to another, never would that thought cease to be both yours and mine. It would bless not only the one receiving it, but also the giver as well. Therefore, is it not evident that, although with any material thing, once given away, we cannot claim it as our own, we may constantly entertain and express good thoughts and not be separated from them?" Thus the lesson was brought home, and the entire class was enabled to gain a clearer understanding of Mrs. Eddy's statement in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 79), to which the pupil had referred,"Giving does not impoverish us in the service of our Masker, neither does withholding enrich us."

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