Editorial February 2, 1935 Issue

Vigorous Efforts

W. Stuart Booth

In studying the Gospel accounts of the healing wrought by Christ Jesus, one is impressed by the persistent and strenuous efforts which were made by a number of those who appealed to the Nazarene. The friends of a palsied man, whom they carried on a couch, were not dismayed when they were not able to reach Jesus because of the multitude of people: "they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus." The man was freed when he obeyed the Master's command, "Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house." At another time two blind men, hearing that Christ Jesus was passing by, cried loudly to him for help, and when they were told by the multitude to be quiet "they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David." And they, too, were healed through Jesus' reflection of divine Love. Again, a woman who had been ill for twelve years "and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse," put forth vigorous efforts to reach Christ Jesus, who was thronged by a multitude. She touched the hem of his garment and was healed immediately.

Everything in connection with the Master's career is of deep significance and vital importance to Christian Scientists, for they are striving to follow the Exemplar in very deed as he commanded his followers to do. In this connection we note with interest Mrs. Eddy's repeated calls in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" and her other writings for consecration and devotion to the great work of healing the sick, comforting the sorrowing, and leading into the path of righteous freedom those who have been bound by the shackles of sinful habits and tendencies. "Waking to Christ's demand, mortals experience suffering. This causes them, even as drowning men, to make vigorous efforts to save themselves; and through Christ's precious love these efforts are crowned with success." So we are told on page 22 of Science and Health, and the words are verified in the experiences of many who have been rescued from sin and suffering through Christian Science.

There must be an awakening on the part of each individual to the demands of Truth, which demands appeal to thought and deal only with thoughts. The chief demand of Christ, Truth, is for literal and complete obedience to the First Commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Since God is Spirit, the infinite all-knowing Mind, the command means that we should acknowledge and accept no sense of life, substance, and intelligence which is unspiritual, finite, imperfect, or mortal. Christ Jesus thus obeyed the First Commandment, and this enabled him to prove the omnipresence and omnipotence of God, good, and the perfection and immortality of life in Mind. Scientifically considered, the consistent Christian striving of those whose "efforts are crowned with success," indicates their willingness and desire to comply with the demands of divine law, which right mental attitude betokens responsiveness to God, Truth.

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