Editorial December 25, 1948 Issue

THE STAR AND THE SCEPTER

Helen Wood Bauman

Luke's record of the nativity of Christ Jesus is fraught with exquisite beauty. The quiet night, the brilliant star, the song of angels, watchful shepherds, and the Magi bearing gifts from a far country in homage to the infant Jesus—all are vivid pictures precious to the Christian. But the imagery of the scene cannot compare with the deep spiritual significance of the event which this great beauty reflects: the appearing of Christ, Truth, to the human scene with its fair promise of light and joy and freedom for mankind through the reign of Love.

Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered Christian Science, speaks in "Miscellaneous Writings" of the fuller appearing of Christ which Christian Science brings to mankind with its divine benedictions. And she says (p. 320), "The star that looked lovingly down on the manger of our Lord, lends its resplendent light to this hour: the light of Truth, to cheer, guide, and bless man as he reaches forth for the infant idea of divine perfection dawning upon human imperfection, —that calms man's fears, bears his burdens, beckons him on to Truth and Love and the sweet immunity these bring from sin, sickness, and death."

The star, Scriptural symbol of Christ, or the Messiah, first appears in Balaam's prophecy (Num. 24:17), "There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel." The words of Balaam, who could not curse the Israelites, but prophesied that there should be no enchantment or divination against them, portend the yielding of the mortal sense of existence before the authority of spiritual sense, which reveals man's real individuality as the reflection of God, spiritual and not material. They prophesy the disappearance of all materialism before the universal truth of man's eternal sonship with the Father.

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