Article March 15, 1947 Issue

Faithful Effort Comes to Fruition

[From a teacher in a branch church Sunday School]

The teacher of a Christian Science Sunday School class may have occasionally to deal with a pupil who has not yet learned the joy of self-discipline and the benefits to be derived by giving undivided attention to the instruction. The teacher may wonder if the the truths about God and man, however earnestly imparted during the one hour each week, are finding lodgment in the thought of such a pupil. Animal magnetism may suggest that the effort is futile.

The spiritual method of healing insubordination is indicated by our God-inspired Leader in her book "Retrospection and Introspection" (p. 80), where she writes, "If the Christian Scientist recognize the mingled sternness and gentleness which permeate justice and Love, he will not scorn the timely reproof, but will so absorb it that this warning will be within him a spring, welling up into unceasing spiritual rise and progress." Even though the pupil may be manifesting meager evidences of heeding the Word, the teacher may be assured that reproof given with the "mingled sternness and gentleness" which characterize justice and Love will sooner or later come to recognition; then the seed that has been sown will bear a rich harvest.

These observations are not theoretical, but they are the result of experience and demonstration. Our Leader's counsel, just quoted, made it possible to work over a period of several years with a Sunday School class whose personnel included a lad designated by mortal opinion as a bad boy. Despite the resistance of the carnal mind, and ofttimes impertinence, besides wayward inclinations of some consequence, the instruction was patiently and persistently poured forth with "mingled sternness and gentleness," seasoned with good humor.

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