Article May 12, 1951 Issue

WHAT DO WE GIVE?

FRANCES MATHEWS WARN

A Student of Christian Science was ill and discouraged. While she had been faithful in her study, she did not seem to be getting her healing. One morning she looked out of her window over a busy city street and saw a stream of people going by: husky drivers on heavy trucks, active workers with delivery wagons, strapping, happy men atop ash carts. They all appeared to be whole and hearty, strong and energetic.

For one brief interval this woman from the bottom of her heart poured out gratitude to God that there were so many well people in the world. At that moment she glimpsed what Mary Baker Eddy must mean where she says (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 192), "Whatever holds human thought in line with unselfed love, receives directly the divine power," for that little experience marked the turning point in her demonstration of health, It awakened in her consciousness the need of giving, and a complete healing from a serious physical condition followed.

An unconscious pent-up interest in self had given way to heartfelt thankfulness for humanity's—her brother's—well-being. A moment of unselfed love had been realized. It was clear that it is our active giving that determines our well-being. Good had been pouring into her consciousness, but she had not been sharing it. She realized that while she had been faithful in her study of Christian Science, she had not been giving out anything but distress and discouragement. It further opened up to her that in her great anxiety for healing she had been so filled with fear that 99 percent of her thought had been centered on the error. But the little 1 per cent of selflessness eventually led her out of bondage.

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