Who Did Hinder You?

Editor

It is second nature to attribute our backwardness in spiritual growth or our failure to grow, to the frowardness of persons or circumstances. The Scriptures ask. "Who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?" and "Mortal Mind," the advocate of Self, replies, urging that such a one hindered him by slighting his efforts and refusing to give him credit for what he had done, or that circumstances frustrated his good intentions, and thus caused him to fail.

Let us resolve never to whine, but to answer manfully and meekly the questioning voice of Spirit, with the honest confession that our sinful self-love, and that only, hath hindered us. Is God's child, the reflection of Omnipotence and Omniscience, so circumscribed, that any outward person or thing can hinder him from unfolding the divine nature with which he is endowed? Is there any other success than this unfolding? Is there any other failure than to remain tightly rolled up in self?

It is almost fatal to the growth of true manly and womanly character as revealed in Christian Science, to accept the wrong standard of what constitutes success. If we fondly dream of wealth, leadership, or fame, and think that these are the insignia of success, we shall miss "the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Our real success never for one moment depends upon the help or hindrance of other people. If our desire is to become magnificent and mighty among men, then we may be hindered from realizing our desire by the untoward attitude of men or events; but if our only aim is to be humble, kind, loving, honest, and pure, who or what can hinder us, except our own idolatrous love of self?

Let all the world frown upon us—can we not still be loving? Let our words and deeds be misunderstood and misrepresented—can we not yet be true? Let our highest thought and best deeds be received with contempt, as were those of Jesus and Paul—have we not the unhindered freedom to be meek and unresentful?

God's legacy to man is His own infinite wisdom, power, goodness, and love—His own character by reflection. To prove his kinship, man must do certain things, namely, be pure in heart, and love his neighbor as himself, and it is so arranged that nothing can prevent him from furnishing this proof.

Every human foible and peccadillo must go down before the inexorable law of divine Truth.

Christian Science comes offering to mankind the trinity of Life, Truth, and Love in exchange for the trinity of sin, sickness, and death. Is it not a munificent offer, and when seen and understood by men, will they not gladly make the exchange?

The soldier of Christ will best serve his cause by neither rushing recklessly on in advance of, nor lagging sluggishly behind, the main army. He will keep in strict line of march.

We should be even more thankful for the Love which comes to us out of the thunderings and lightnings of Sinai than for that which comes from the serenity of Olivet—provided we are so soundly asleep that we cannot hear the sweet tones of the latter. If we cannot be awakened by the one we must be by the other.

It is not the part of Christian Science to condemn sinners, but to convert them. Retaliation has no place in the Christianity of Christ.

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Signs of Progress

September 14, 1899

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