Article November 12, 1955 Issue

SPIRIT, NOT MATTER, MUST BE OUR MASTER

ELEANOR BRADLEY

In contrasting Christ Jesus with selfish materialists Mary Baker Eddy writes in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 52): "His master was Spirit; their master was matter. He served God; they served mammon." Is it any wonder, then, that Jesus was successful in all that he did? Whether he was supplying food for the hungry, healing the sick, supporting the sorrowful, or raising the dead, his work was quickly and effectively accomplished. From the time he was a young lad in the temple to the day of his resurrection, Christ Jesus served but one master—God, Spirit.

When tempted by the devil in the wilderness, Jesus' last reply to error was (Matt. 4:10), "It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." There is no doubt that this rebuke to the devil was given with the same strength and authority that characterized all his denials of any power or master apart from God. We read that the devil left him, as did the sins and ills of those who came to Jesus for help. The worldly tempter of these days has not changed from that of Jesus' time. It is the same devil which Jesus rebuked constantly during his healing ministry. It is mortal mind, which would have us believe that matter, not Spirit, is our master.

Christian Science gives us a new insight into our right to freedom. Under the marginal heading, "Higher law ends bondage," in the textbook Mrs. Eddy tells us (p. 227), "I saw that the law of mortal belief included all error, and that, even as oppressive laws are disputed and mortals are taught their right to freedom, so the claims of the enslaving senses must be denied and superseded." Through the study of Christian Science we learn that we can choose to serve Spirit, God. Serving God involves joyous service, not servitude to a relentless master. This service comes through love, not fear.

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