Article November 1, 2013

Christian Science and its newspaper

Originally published in the November 3, 1914 issue of The Christian Science Monitor

The purpose of Christian Science is impartially to bless mankind. It brings the message of an understood available God to every living creature. Can it, then, single out any individual, any community, any nation, to be worthy the special favor of this loving Father? Can the newspaper of the Christian Science movement uphold any group of people as against any other group? Can partizan conviction, however deep or righteous, so color the paper's pages that its appeal would cease to be universal? Published for those who desire it in all lands, recording news honestly and impartially, it cannot consistently keep anything less than the broad view of service to all mankind with special care to offend not at all the humblest or hardest-pressed reader it may have. The Christian Science Monitor is an international newspaper—the only one of its kind in the world. It therefore preserves the international spirit. It thinks in terms of the entire universe. It “takes sides” with one thing—right wherever it may be found. And with its message of a larger knowledge of God its cup of cold water must come to the sorely wounded as does the Red Cross service on a field of battle, with no concern as to the place, station, fault, or merit of him who needs refreshing.

The purpose of Christian Science is to turn the thought of all mankind from sin and distress to a better knowledge of that law of God which heals sin and distress. Surely it cannot antagonize him whom it would help by entering into discussions as to the right or wrong of conflicting human viewpoints. The spirit of Truth seeks out good wherever it may be found, encourages and upholds and increases it; and, as well, detects evil impartially, and diminishes it for every man in every situation. To uphold the virtues of a man or a nation by no means justifies all that pertains to the man or the nation; to point out an error that is universally to be seen as error, does not condemn the individual or the country. The discrimination between good and evil, the loyalty to one and the rejection of the other, is the work of Christian Science; and where is the person or the kingdom or the republic to whom and to which we cannot be loyal for the one and wherein we cannot detect and reject the other.

So to speak kindly of rulers or peoples is to manifest the spirit of the Christ; to search out virtues and hold to them in trying times is to be a universal benefactor. For this stands The Christian Science Monitor. Strange as it may seem, an inflamed and partizan reader can find in an impartial statement something to disturb him; curiously enough one may see an “anti” spirit and another championship in the same article where only the spirit of tolerance, of suspended judgment, of kind analysis, may prevail. In short, to read The Christian Science Monitor understandingly the reader must rise to the point of view which publishes it; to that spirit of true brotherhood which welds men and nations as one and which Mrs. Eddy proclaimed to be a blessing to all mankind.

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