Article September 9, 1950 Issue

CHASTENING RIGHTLY UNDERSTOOD

SYDNEY HERBERT HASSELL

IN a modern translation of the New Testament epistles we find these words from Hebrews (12:11): "Now obviously no 'chastening' seems pleasant at the time: it is in fact most unpleasant. Yet when it is all over we can see that it has quietly produced the fruit of real goodness in the characters of those who have accepted it in the right spirit."

From this it follows that it is our duty to accept in the right spirit any chastening we may experience in our journey from sense to Soul. To help us do this, our Master and Way-shower, Christ Jesus, has encouraged us by saying to his followers (John 15:2), "Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit."

Mary Baker Eddy speaks of this purification on page 151 of "Miscellaneous Writings," where she says: "God is a consuming fire. He separates the dross from the gold, purifies the human character, through the furnace of affliction. Those who bear fruit He purgeth, that they may bear more fruit."

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