Article May 27, 1933 Issue

The Song of Work

MARY L. ALLEN

IN one of his letters to the Corinthians Paul said, "I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also." Paul had been carefully and strictly taught the Mosaic law and the traditions of the house of Israel. His instruction had been the best obtainable by the orthodox Jew, for Paul himself tells us that he had sat "at the feet of Gamaliel." He knew much about work and about prayer, and we can well surmise that he knew about song also, for in the Jewish worship much importance was attached to psalm singing.

When, however, the gospel as taught by Christ Jesus found lodgment in Paul's consciousness and overruled his former teaching, his concept of worship, including work, prayer, and song, doubtless became changed. His later writings would indicate that he found if he would obey the second of the two great commandments as given by Jesus, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," he must pray and sing with both the spirit and the understanding; that not only must he give to God the prayer of true praise, as the creator of all good, but also he must include in this the seeing or understanding of his brother as in reality spiritual, included in this true creation.

The Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, gave new light and impulse to this subject when she wrote in her Message to The Mother Church for 1900 (p. 2), "The song of Christian Science is, 'Work —work—work—watch and pray.' " The Christian Scientist finds then that work, prayer, and song are welded into one, and that they become a succession of harmonious expressions made up of the single tones of love and consecrated opportunities for right thinking each day.

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