Article November 2, 1935 Issue

"Beloved Christian Scientists"

ALMA SCHIERBAUM

In her admonition addressed to "beloved Christian Scientists," Mary Baker Eddy, our revered Leader, lovingly tells them to keep their "minds so filled with Truth and Love, that sin, disease, and death cannot enter them" (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 210). A great privilege belongs to each student of Christian Science: that of treating himself and all other students as "beloved Christian Scientists."

"In the beginning" God created man Godlike. "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." Mrs. Eddy brings this concept of man to the apprehension of mortals, in Christian Science. This spiritual, Godlike man who is to be discerned, recognized, and loved always is beloved of God. The spirit of John's words, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God," rings out assuringly in all her writings, and men behold and experience wonderful proof of man's divine sonship as they comprehend this great truth. Dealing constantly with other persons in everyday experience one needs steadfastly to maintain a loving attitude and graciously to make liberal allowance for differences of opinion. How easy it sometimes is mentally to catalogue one's neighbor or fellow worker and classify him erroneously! But not always does this estimate stress faults or failures; sometimes it may be a glorification of personality. What is this kind of mental inventory but a caricature, with its attempt to make man, God's likeness, appear to be a false mortal likeness? This seeing one another through the mists of personal imperfection, unloveliness, is part of the Adam-dream that disappears in the light of spiritual understanding, which reveals man as God's beloved son.

The "forgetting" phase of the Adam-dream, common to all men, is what Mrs. Eddy cautions Christian Scientists to beware of. So important did she deem obedience to God, and impartial love toward all mankind, that in her Church Manual she wrote a By-Law under the heading, "DISCIPLINE," Article VIII, Section 6, saying it shall be a duty for every member to defend "himself daily against aggressive mental suggestion, and not be made to forget nor to neglect his duty to God, to his Leader, and to mankind." A grave responsibility this—because she reminds one in this By-Law that "by his works he shall be judged." Yet, a Christian Scientist knows how to bear righteous—loving—judgment. Could anyone with love for God and man in his heart do otherwise?

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