Immortal Prestige

IDA LEONA BURLEIGH

Much human struggle and toil is promoted by the desire of individuals to win the favor of their fellow men and thereby gain prestige for themselves. Perhaps years of labor and thought may be devoted to achieving some phase of prestige; but many times, when this goal has been attained, those who have thus won it find that their laurels are vain, their hands empty. After this kind of experience many awake to the fact that material glory has no permanence.

Wherein, then, lies true satisfaction? Surely a glance at the average newspaper reports uncovers the fallacious argument that wealth and fame bring happiness. Only too often the companions of these are worry and care. Nor may contentment be found in the extremes of poverty. Christian Science reveals that one attains a sense of completeness only as he forsakes the material concept of all things for the spiritual, thus forgetting self and fulfilling the Golden Rule: "And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise."

When, nearly two thousand years ago, Christ Jesus came to show mankind the way to true happiness, or the kingdom of heaven, he came not like a great king, such as the Hebrews had expected. Instead, he appeared as a human babe, as a humble carpenter, as an itinerant teacher. He was not subservient to the wealthy, the proud, or the arrogant, but rather ministered gently unto the lowly, the sick, and the sinful, thereby exemplifying the spiritual attributes of Love and Truth by serving and comforting the brokenhearted. His was always the loving, helpful hand outstretched with complete disregard for material appraisal. His admonition to all was, "Except ye . . . become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Later, Mary Baker Eddy came to carry on the mission of Christian healing and, ultimately, to establish the Christian Science movement. She echoed the spirit of Christ Jesus' teachings when she wrote (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 4), "The pride of place or power is the prince of this world that hath nothing in Christ." The spiritual ideal, which she upheld throughout her life, does not point to the accumulation of material wealth or to the attainment of fame as the supreme aim of life. Rather does it encourage the cultivation of spiritual qualities, such as humility, purity, wisdom, and meekness.

In Christian Science man is recognized as the reflection of God, therefore beautiful and grand. What greater prestige in its true sense could one desire than the knowledge that, in his real being, he is the offspring of infinite, omnipresent Love, and hence is complete and perfect? Is not this the antithesis of the doctrines of false theology and paganism, which picture man as fallen, sinning, and weak? Christian Science teaches that man is born not of sin, but of Love, and is protected by God, the loving Parent.

The solution to the problem of existence, consequently, lies in divesting ourselves of those beliefs which would interfere with or cloud our reflecting of the one God. In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 142) our Leader writes, "As in Jesus' time, so to-day, tyranny and pride need to be wipped out of the temple, and humility and divine Science to be welcomed in."

Empty vessels, only, can be filled. As envy, deceit, hatred, revenge, and oppression vanish through obedience to God's law, love, joy, and peace fill human consciousness. Out of the darkness of the carnal mind and the doctrines of erroneous orthodox beliefs Christian Science shows the way.

Through the affirmation of truth and the denial of error, false concepts fade out. Thus the true man appears, having, as Science and Health says (p. 244), "everlasting grandeur and immortality of development, power, and prestige."

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