The need of the hour is to know God and His Christ, to...

Herbert W. Beck, Committee on Publication for The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, formerly Committee on Publication for Northern California,—San Jose

Mercury-Herald

The need of the hour is to know God and His Christ, to know what the real man is, and to know what true love is and how to use it, and to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. In other words, the word must be Christianized.

Shall we say that the condition of the world is due to nineteen centuries of Christianity or to the lack of Christianity? Surely any impartial thinker, knowing what the Master's teachings are, will agree that to the extent that men have been Christianized, they have been saved from the path that leads to destruction.

Christianity builds; the lack of it destroys. To fail to accept Christianity, and then reproach it for our failures, is like refusing to use the rules of mathematics and then blaming the science of mathematics for our mistakes. The Psalmist declared, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." Then, conversely, the wise man saith in his heart, "There is a God, and He is near at hand."

The followers of the Master are called upon to prove their Christianity; we need more tolerance and understanding, more of "the mind of Christ." In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mary Baker Eddy, speaking of Christian Scientists, says (p. 451): "They must renounce aggression, oppression and the pride of power. Christianity, with the crown of Love upon her brow, must be their queen of life."

In "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 15) Mrs. Eddy says, "The new birth is not the work of a moment." Our Christianity must be brought out in our daily living. Undoubtedly, there will be many humane efforts to solve the problems of the world, but these efforts will be successful only as men become obedient to the Golden Rule.

There is a true brotherhood of man, and it is discerned spiritually. Spiritual love is the foundation of this brotherhood. The world must be awakened from its indifference to spiritual things; aroused from its belief that there is not a spiritual way to solve the problems which confront it. It must be awakened from its dream of mere physical contentment or of physical distress. A true knowledge of God can alone bring true happiness. Men need to realize God's great love for His children, and accept the blessings which that divine Love bestows. Love for God and His Christ must be supreme in our lives.

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