Article March 13, 1943 Issue

The Demand for Sacrifice

NORTON WEBB

Governments of the United Nations are asking citizens to make sacrifices for the common cause in winning a war against aggression—sacrifices in the interests of freedom and democracy. Sacrifices for such a purpose are laudable, since they not only bring home the useful lesson that being unselfish for a righteous cause is markedly beneficial, but draw neighbors closer together in an atmosphere of good will and mutual understanding.

In Christian Science the demand for sacrifice is seen to be primarily a mental call to comply with divine law, to renounce material concepts, to replace these with higher or spiritual views, and so to gain a victory over the discordant conditions of human existence, which are no part of God's creation.

Mary Baker Eddy in her text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," lucidly points out (p. 459), "Paul and John had a clear apprehension that, as mortal man achieves no worldly honors except by sacrifice, so he must gain heavenly riches by forsaking all worldliness." It is impossible to find clearer language in so few words explaining the underlying and real nature of the demands today being pressed upon all men. These demands are to give up materially mental traits, such as selfishness, greed, narrowness, monopoly, false privilege, and all erroneous social outlooks, for spiritually mental values and qualities, such as generosity, consideration of the rights of others, sharing our good with our fellow man, loving forbearance toward him, and unselfish aims in general, so as to aid mankind in realizing a higher sense of harmony.

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