Article September 19, 1983 Issue

To lighten mankind

FRANCES L. WEST

It was a gray November morning. Mrs. Eddy, on the first day of the publication of The Christian Science Monitor, called together her household workers. She asked if it was dark outside. On being told that heavy fog had made it especially dark, she replied, "This, in Truth, is the lightest day of all days. This is the day when our daily paper goes forth to lighten mankind ...!"^{Erwin D. Canham, Commitment to Freedom (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1958), p. 54.}

Of course Mrs. Eddy was not merely referring to the weather. She must have seen the tremendous potential her newspaper had to lift the dark burdens of fear, corruption, and sickness from mankind. She doubtless realized that a newspaper based on the same divine Principle as her Church could lead and leaven world thought, sweep away barriers of prejudice, and lift thought above the fetters of poverty and disease.

As an integral part of the Church of Christ, Scientist, the Monitor is a tool that helps us to heal—thus to lighten mankind. Mrs. Eddy was very aware of what was happening in the world. Her writings refer to over fifteen countries. Her spirituality made her keenly conscious of world needs. We, too, can be spiritually discerning. We also have the Monitor to tell us about the needs of the world and of our opportunity to pray to heal these challenges. It helps us realize that we are practitioners to the world! Mankind cries out for our loving help. The Monitor tells us what we need to know in order to direct our prayers effectively.