Article September 25, 2000 Issue

Where were the men?

God's daughters are strong; His sons, gentle.

By Marta Greenwood

One Day As I was sitting in our church and looking around, I suddenly became aware that the congregation was all women. The only man in our midst was at the door, as an usher. I was surprised at the lack of men, and a little worried. At that time, our church needed a lot of restoration, which I had always thought of as a man's job. I decided I'd better start doing some serious praying for more men!

Despite my prayers, more men did not show up. So I tried to understand what was wrong. I had expected my prayer to be answered. But then I remembered something written by Mary Baker Eddy in her book Science and Health: "Those instructed in Christian Science have reached the glorious perception that God is the only author of man" (p. 29).This turned my focus away from the lack of men in our church services and started me thinking in spiritual terms.

I had always thought of certain qualities as being exclusive to either men or women. Those associated with womanhood were well developed in my life. But now I realized since God is the author of man— thinking of "man" in the generic sense, including both male and female—that I had to learn more about the fatherhood qualities of God.

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