Article September 28, 1968 Issue

Giving All for Christ

[For young adults]

LORETTA WHITE

Christian Science does not require people to give up anything legitimately good in life. The concept of giving up belongs to the doctrine of asceticism. But human beings do not reach a higher state of spiritual understanding by means of self-torture.

Mrs. Eddy knew that Jesus was not an ascetic. The ascetic's brand of self-denial extinguishes a normal state of humanhood, whereas Christian Science tends to induce greater abundance and a broader scope of activity at the same time that it deepens character and heightens one's spirituality. Jesus preached to his followers: "Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."^{Matt. 5:15, 16;} Christ Jesus understood that man is the image and likeness of God. He beheld man as purely spiritual, whose existence is dependent upon his source, Spirit, thus bearing out the proverb, "The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord."^{Prov. 20:27;}

It is surprising that the lucid statements of our Way-shower were so misunderstood throughout the ages and misapplied by scholastic theology, overshadowing pure religion with darkness. The prospect of shattering human life by giving up legitimate vocations in order to be Christlike has driven many good people from the Church, especially young people.

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