SPEAK THE TRUTH

COL. W. E. FELL

Before the writer of this article espoused Christian Science he consoled himself with the comforting reflection that whatever kind of a sinner he might be in other respects, he was at least a man of honor and truthful withal. Today he has a vivid recollection of the rude awakening he experienced on beginning the study of Christian Science, to find that he had been neither the one nor the other. Christian Science most effectually awakens mortal man from the mesmeric belief in an honesty which he does not possess, for day by day it is teaching its students to "speak every man truth with his neighbor."

At the time when the writer first heard of Christian Science, he was conversing with a lady whose position took her much into society. This person declared that it was impossible, as society is at present constituted, to go through a whole day without giving utterance to "white lies" as she called them, in self-defense. A Christian Scientist well knows that the utterance of error is no defense against error, but merely places us in the hands of the enemy. To pile Pelion upon Ossa is not the way to remove mountains. Only by living, acting, and speaking the truth can we enter the house of defense and be saved from error.

To depart from accurate statement is to draw the veil between ourselves and the healing Christ. The Saviour of mankind, according to his own declaration, is "the truth," and our Leader tells us that Truth is reflected "in truthfulness" (Science and Health, p. 516). All prevarication is the result of cowardice, and is only overcome through the understanding that we have nothing to fear so long as we adhere strictly to the truth. If we lower our guard over thought, in an instant error seems quick to seize the opportunity, and the little "white lie" slips out to poison and pervert. Let the voluble talker beware of that little unruly member the tongue, for it is obvious that the more we talk and gossip the more likelihood there is of something being said which is not strictly true. It may be urged that the whole of material existence is a condition of falsity. Precisely so, and therefore the only way we can win out of this condition is by living the truth. If Truth is reflected "in truthfulness," truthfulness can make no reservations, but thinks, speaks, and acts the truth. In what other way can mortality be swallowed up of Life?

It is very noticeable that the personal element is ever productive of falsehood. The mortal sense of personality would seem to require lies to support its false claims, and how could this be otherwise, since material personality in its essence and claim to being is the great lie. Truth comes to us when we lay off this false sense and cease to regard our own personality or that of others, steadfastly clinging to Principle as All-in-all. How grateful should we be to our revered Leader for so persistently pointing us away from her own personality to man in the image and likeness of God, Spirit. To those obedient to this teaching there has come no loss, no sense of separation, for no change comes where all is permanent, eternal, and immortal. That which fruitlessly claims to come and go is not man, but a mortal, material concept of man, a false sense of existence to be swallowed up of spiritual being.

He is the true Christian Scientist who at all times looks steadfastly beyond the veil of the flesh, who is not deceived by the shadows seen darkly through a glass, but who declares for the Christ-man and says with the apostle, "Henceforth know we no man after the flesh." In this view there is no coming, no going, therefore no disappointment, no loss, no separation, no untruth. Speaking in terms of the absolute, while knowing that thereby we may deceive our neighbor, is sin against Truth. Whatever we would attain of heaven must be reflected by us here and now, at all times and under all circumstances. "White lies"—there are none; all lies are blackness and darkness. We should never forget that Christ Jesus commanded, "Let your communication be Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."

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