Editorial April 13, 1935 Issue

Springtime Renewals

Violet Ker Seymer

In certain latitudes, the spring of the year is a time of renewing and discarding. Snow melts; emerald blades emerge in bog and meadow; slender leaves slant from sapfilled boughs, and birds lift their heads in song. Then housewives make a raid on the dust in their homes, and, very possibly, on outworn garments in their wardrobes.

Strange, though, how very seldom this raid includes renewing the set of books which, as Christian Scientists, we have had in use many years. Worn and torn and smudged though they may be, we keep on using them until we should be ashamed to pass them along as gifts or loans. Certain copies may be precious to us for good reasons, and it is natural that we should keep these. In other cases, however, would it be well for us to consider why we continue to use shabby books? The messages conveyed through these precious volumes come straight from the springs of Truth; they sweep away outworn material beliefs, fear, sickness, penury, sorrow, and bring us renewed assurances of health, happiness, and abundance. Then why allow the outworn appearance of our books to contradict the spirit of the messages they bring to us?

The human character also calls for constant renovation, renewed quickening by Truth's regenerative action. Here, too, there needs to be a discarding and a renewing. Are the purity, freshness, and vigor of Christian Science being welcome into every corner of our consciousness? "Spring is here!" our Leader writes, "and doors that closed on Christian Science in 'the long winter of our discontent,' are open flung" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 332). Have we fully accepted Christian Science? The measure of our acceptance is the measure of our application of its teachings. Is our mental door "open flung" to this revelation, or is it merely ajar? Have our mental attics been cleared of rubbish stored there before we knew better? Is any old mental rubbish still stored there? Has even fresh rubbish been added? Have discordant and disturbing impressions been merely thrust into the background thence to exert their latent influence? Do sensitiveness, pride, and the old habit of taking offense startle us by their sudden reappearance under provocation? Do we surrender to discouragement when we should rise up with new courage?

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