Editorial April 25, 1936 Issue

Emphasizing Essentials

George Shaw Cook

There is a saying, sometimes attributed to Abraham Lincoln, but probably more rightly attributable to Rupertus Meldenius or to Philipp Melanchthon, which seems to constitute a good rule for harmonious co-operation. The saying is as follows: "In things essential, unity; in doubtful, liberty; in all things, charity." To what a very great extent would friction be eliminated from human contacts if the spirit of this rule were to be followed by human beings in their dealings with one another!

Many of the points on which human beings differ, sometimes stubbornly and acrimoniously, may be classified as "doubtful," if not entirely unimportant. How often differences of opinion are about nonessentials! Oftentimes mortals disagree, sometimes violently and persistently, about something that is not essential to real progress. Probably the settlement of a particular question in accordance with the views of one disputant or the other would not be of vital importance to either. How wise was Abraham, of old, when he said to Lot, "Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, ... for we be brethren"!

Even Christian Scientists, who have learned that in the truest sense all men are brethren, and have discerned, at least to some extent, that, as Mrs. Eddy says, "Love is impartial and universal in its adaptation and bestowals" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 13), sometimes find themselves differing radically on matters that are of no vital importance. Students of Christian Science are sometimes influenced by error to contend for the solution of some particular problem in the way that seems right to them, when its solution, either in that way or another way, would make no great difference to themselves or to the organization of which they are members. In such instances might they not do well to ask themselves the questions, What difference would it make? Who will care in ten years from now which way the question was settled?

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