Article June 29, 1912 Issue

"THE WIDE CHANNELS OF THE MOTHER CHURCH"

CARL H. PIERCE.

When Mrs. Eddy promulgated the by-law to the effect that "God requires our whole heart, and He supplies within the wide channels of The Mother Church dutiful and sufficient occupation for all its members" (Manual, p. 44), at least one Christian Scientist thought that whereas this by-law undoubtedly told the truth, nevertheless it would be a pleasure to see the truth manifested in an actual position somewhere within the "wide channels," little realizing at the time that such opportunity is open for every loyal Christian Scientist now and every day, if one is but receptive to grasp the opportunity.

One such Scientist, however, came to realize by degrees that the word "occupation" may mean a variety of things, and that one does not necessarily need to be working in the publishing house in Boston in order to have abundant occupation; he can find it right at home, in his own thoughts and in his own church field. Then the significance of the by-law began to dawn, as it was seen that in the activities of each local field there are endless opportunities for "dutiful" labor. There are the activities as officers of the church,—as readers, as members of house, library, or literary committees ad infinitum. There is always the privilege of attending to the distribution of the Monitor and our other periodicals; there is always the privilege of calling on people who are interested in Science and bringing the truth to them; there is always the opportunity of healing the sick. As these advancing steps dawned on this Scientist, he was given the desire of his heart, to heal the sick. Then came a realization of the truth of our Leader's words, for he was truly and consciously "busy" within the "wide channels" indicated.

It is not impossible that others would like to take such a step; that they have had it in mind for many years, but that some little fear of personal incompetency or something else keeps them from launching out upon the waters where God supplies every need and meets every emergency. Frequently it is found that neglect to take the first step has failed to make clear the second. One who had been versed for many years in Christian Science once declared that he had never seen the time when he could determine where the fifth step was going to land him, and from this he deduced that we needed to look but one step in advance. We know intuitively that if each step is wisely taken, there need be no concern about the outcome. But we may suppose for example that a man, like him who took his talent and hid it in the earth, feels that he has a talent for healing the sick and would like to do this work, and yet day after day, perchance, he neglects to send out his Monitor, as requested on its front page. This may be his first step, and failure to utilize it may be the seemingly little thing which obscures his vision of the more advanced steps in the line of his longing.

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