Article February 22, 1958 Issue

JOYFUL SACRIFICE OPENS GATEWAYS TO FREEDOM

CHARLES HENRY GABRIEL

Christian Science opens the way to joy and true satisfaction. It does not ask that we give up anything good or lovely. But it does require the relinquishment of that which would enslave us and rob us of our freedom to think or act rightly. The only sacrifices asked of us are of those things that would befog our vision, confuse our thinking, or cause undue contemplation of the physical body. And when these sacrifices are made, the Christian Scientist finds he has really given up nothing, but instead has opened wide the gateways to freedom.

When Abraham was told by God to sacrifice his son Isaac, his dearest treasure, as a burnt offering, Abraham immediately took steps to obey. He did not argue, he did not cry, nor did he curse his God. He rose up early and took his son to the place which God had designated. Here Abraham built the altar, laid the wood in order, bound Isaac, and placed him on the altar. And just as he stretched forth his hand to slay his son, the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven (Gen. 22:11, 12): "Abraham, Abraham. ... Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me."

Abraham found that when he evidenced the willingness to make the utmost sacrifice which he believed God required of him, he did not need to make it. Instead, from that time onward great rewards flowed forth from the great Giver of all good.

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