Article September 20, 1947 Issue

Concerning the Fourth Commandment

The teachings of our beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, enjoin strict obedience to the Ten Commandments both in the spirit and in the letter. In no place in her writings does she indicate that the commandment relating to Sabbath observance is less imperative than any other, nor does she imply that any of the Ten Commandments can ever become outmoded. If one is in doubt as to her literal interpretation of the fourth commandment, he need only refer to her article entitled "Foreign Exposition on Sunday," found in the first volume of the Journal of Christian Science, now known as The Christian Science Journal. Herein is set forth her unequivocal position on Sabbath observance.

A Sabbathless nation would be unthinkable to Christian people. Yet among Christian people today there is a growing departure from Sabbath observance. As both summer and winter sports are becoming more and more available to youth and adults, many people look forward to Sunday mainly as a play day with little if any regard to church and Sunday School attendance. This would not be so, however, if mankind had grasped the true significance of the Sabbath. If the spiritual import of the fourth commandment, as taught in Christian Science, were more clearly understood, the literal significance would be more fully appreciated and upheld. When the seventh day of creation is understood to represent the discernment of the allness of God, good, and the nothingness of evil, humanity will find in Sabbath observance opportunity for gaining that which enriches the human experience, opportunity for bringing more of God's goodness into the affairs of men.

Truth alone can shield our youth from the error of today's cataclysmic overturning, and it should be the aim of our Sabbath School to reach the greatest possible number of boys and girls. The children of today are coming into young manhood and young womanhood in a world of conflicting standards. Erroneous concepts are constantly brought to their attention. Even the little ones must deal with mortal mind's suggestions as they are presented by means of radio, motion pictures, display advertising, and so on. And all need the clear light of Truth to counteract the darkness of mortal belief and to guide the formative thought aright. While our Master knew that it is the lifting up of the Christ, Truth, that draws the multitudes, he, as God's messenger of Truth, made himself accessible to the people. So we, as Christian Scientists, need to do all we can to make the teachings of our Sunday School available to the children.

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