TRUE DEMOCRACY

DAISY BEDFORD.

IN these days democracy as the essential basis for right government is uppermost in the thoughts of all earnest workers. Our Leader in her wise and loving forethought for her church and students has named it the essential foundation for church government and administration. Much has been said and written on the subject, and it behooves us as Christian Scientists thoroughly to understand its meaning and application, not only as concerning church government, but with regard to the regulation of our conduct and work, everything appertaining thereto, so that every member may be able to bring his or her tithe of right thinking and right acting into the storehouse, which will bear fruit in the harmonious cooperation and advance of the whole community.

So often, it may be, we ask ourselves, Why is it we seemingly fail in our work? Why is it we do not see the clear manifestation of the healing truth? Is it not because we have not yet learned the essentials of self-government on a democratic basis, and hence, in the absence of a proper understanding and application of the rule, have failed to get the correct answer to the problem? It has been said that "true democracy will carry on an insistent search for those wisest and best, and will elevate them to posts of leadership and command." Do we in consciousness persistently seek for that which is wisest and best and allow it to govern the thoughts, actions, motives, and desires of our daily life? Are we careful never to permit personal sense, untrue motives, love of place and power, desire of admiration and praise, to sway us as we strive to follow in the path our Master trod?

That which may be said of the administration of an organization, may be said of the working out of life's problem in each individual consciousness. When unworthy motives predominate, then mob rule is being observed, with all the discordant features it brings in its train. Man is made in the image and likeness of God, and we must keep this glorious heritage ever in view, until, as we learn in Christian Science, "the material, transformed with the ideal, disappears" (Science and Health, p. 442). An allegiance to any lesser understanding of what constitutes man will defraud us of our birthright, for we lose sight of what should constitute "the radicalism of true democracy," i.e., that perfect individualism which becomes manifest as the recognition of and loving service to each and every one of God's ideas—the logical conclusion of true brotherhood—is demonstrated. The true democrat is he who adheres to and puts into daily practice Jesus' teaching, as set forth in the sermon on the mount, and who understands intelligently man's dominion over all that is unlike God, in the conscious constant realization of his unity with his divine Principle—"I and my Father are one"—and in the manifestation of that true spirit of humility and self-immolation expressed in the words of our Master, "The Son can do nothing of himself: but what he seeth the Father do."

Perhaps the greatest enemy to the realization of perfect democracy is the imitation of or clinging to a given personality. Our Leader says (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 308): "Intensely contemplating personality impedes spiritual growth." Any form of personal imitation must mean lack of individual growth, of intelligent clear thinking; it denotes apathy, a noncomprehension that "man is properly self-governed," and "should be guided by no other mind than Truth, the divine Mind" (Messages to The Mother Church, p. 56). Each idea possesses a distinct individuality, and we are surely trying to sell our birthright if we desire to merge any part of it in that of our neighbor. The rose is even more beautiful, because it is close by the lily, pure, serence, and fair, and offering all it has to bless mankind. The lily would certainly appear less beauteous growing on a rosebush, the rose on the graceful stem of the lily. Yet many people try to bring about almost as incongruous a result by their slavish worship of personality and their willingness to be governed by the wishes, desires, aims, and opinions of those whom for personal reasons they have chosen to rule over them.

The true democrat must be alert, he must give to every duty earnest consideration, based on his understanding of what God is and what man is, not putting anything aside as too trivial or unimportant, for it is only by being faithful in small things that we shall be found faithful in the larger ones; then, too, he must have learned how to obey, in order that he may take his part in ruling. We can only learn to rule by learning how to serve. Our Master said of himself: "I am among you as he that serveth," and of that service it is chronicled in one of those beautifully descriptive passages in which the Bible conveys so much in so few words, "Jesus went about doing good."

Here is the key, the incentive, the example for all who would be scientifically democratic, all true Christian Scientists, all who are trying to do good. In doing so we shall make it possible for our neighbor to do likewise, because unkind, ungenerous criticism, fault-finding, lack of love, will no longer hamper his work, and we shall bring our gift to the altar with the knowledge that our brother has naught against us. Like St. Paul, let us endeavor to show that grace has not been bestowed upon us in vain, and laboring ever more and more abundantly, prove our worthiness of our "high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

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