SPIRITUAL INTERPRETATION

ROBERT O. CAMPBELL.

Occasionally, people holding to the religious beliefs of the congregations commonly called orthodox, criticize Christian Scientists because of their interpretation of Scriptural passages. In some instances they challenge the right of the Scientist to the use of any interpretation which differs from their own concept of what is correct. Others, also, who read the Bible literally, contend against the giving of any spiritual meaning to the Scriptures, for the reason, as they say, that there is no authorized interpretation: that there is no unchanging code by which all Scriptural references may be judged, whereby the meaning can be proven capable of standing the test of universality as applied both to time and to persons. In the experience of the writer, the lawfulness of spiritual interpretation was made apparent in a manner sufficiently simple to beget strong faith in its being correct, although its application was understood only in part.

From childhood to the age of fourteen years, my thought of religious subjects had been shaped largely by the instruction commonly given in Christian Sunday schools. At the latter period, contact at frequent intervals with one who was an admirer of the writings of a well-known agnostic, and later some personal consideration of the same articles, almost completely annulled the faith gleaned from earlier instruction. For a number of years afterward, doubt of the divinity of the Scriptures held sway, until it seemed there was scarcely anything to which one could pin his faith. While others apparently found solace during stress of grief and trouble in the hopeful assurance of the Bible, they seemed very little better off than those who had no faith, because they were unable to escape the suffering common to humanity. This condition of thought continued for several years, church services were seldom attended, and less and less attention was paid to religious matters.

These years of agnosticism came to a close with an attack of illness. After suffering mental and physical distress for a number of months, during which medical help was sought and proven of no avail, an appeal was made for Christian Science healing. This appeal was answered by my being restored to a state of health superior to that experienced for several years, and with the improved health came an illumination of thought which made the study of spiritual guidance of absorbing interest. Study along this line has been continuous since then, and as the truth taught in the Christian Science text-book was unfolded in consciousness, there also came the experience with Scriptural interpretation previously mentioned.

During boyhood days the sense of loyalty expressed in the book of Ruth was an admired ideal. So prominently was this virtue presented, that other ideas were dimly perceived, and the book was held in thought as presenting a high type of that quality. Some time after this, when the orderly study of the Scriptures with the aid of the Christian Science text-book was begun, the long-neglected book of Ruth was again taken up for pleasurable reading, when to my surprise it was found filled with passages which appealed to me as beautiful expressions of love, obedience, and humility. These ideas were then just as apparent as the idea of loyalty had formerly been, and my consciousness was awakened to appreciate the lawfulness and consequently the universality of the interpretation made possible by the revelation of the Christ-teaching given by our beloved Leader, Mrs. Eddy. Another might have been able to glean more largely of these spiritual ideas, and later, with more understanding, my own study would possibly have been more profitable, but their interpretation even at that time supplied my need, thus showing that the spiritual illumination was individual.

As the months go by, time takes not away any of my appreciation or of my growth in the understanding of the demonstrable Christ-ideal, but clearer apprehension of Truth and the unfolding of new views, make enjoyable my progress in this knowledge. The loyalty shown by Ruth to Naomi, loyalty evidently inspired by a higher understanding of "the Lord God of Israel," enables the Christian Scientist consistently to echo her memorable words, "Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God."

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