Editorial February 8, 1969 Issue

Should We Conciliate Society?

Helen Wood Bauman

Some critics of Christian Science believe that the demands of this Science are too radical spiritually, that in order to attract people and make it popular, Science should compromise with worldly standards. They would like to bring the truth down to the level of this materialistic era instead of turning thought to the ideals set by Christ Jesus. "Don't change our customs," these critics say, "but soften the demand of Science that we forsake material interests and drugs and sensual pleasures."

Jesus had similar critics. At one time when the scribes and Pharisees argued with him about the difference between their old social and religious customs and his new ones, he gave them this parable to think about: "No man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish."^{Luke 5:37;}

Mary Baker Eddy adapts this parable to the contemporary world, showing that the truths of Christian Science cannot be reconciled with materialistic beliefs. After declaring, "There is no connection between Spirit and matter," she adds a little farther on: "We cannot put the new wine into old bottles. If that could be done, the world would accept our sentiments; it would willingly adopt the new idea, if that idea could be reconciled with the old belief; it would put the new wine into the old bottle if it could prevent its effervescing and keep it from popping out until it became popular."^{Christian Healing, p. 18;}

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Editorial

Are We Willing to Change?