Jesus puts an important lesson before those who are earnestly striving to live the true life when, in his picturesque words to the Pharisees and to his disciples, he declares: "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's: and unto God the things that are God's." Paul emphasizes the same truth thus: "Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due." Mrs. Eddy has but restated these commands when she says: "Man is tributary to God, Spirit, and to nothing else" (Science and Health, p. 481).

When his enemies approached Jesus with the question, "Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?" they were seeking to prove him a traitor to the realm. They dimly apprehended that his kingdom was not of this world, and realized somewhat of his teaching that his followers were citizens of this spiritual realm, and not vassals to a foreign foe. Had he answered, No, it is not lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, he might have been cast into prison, as an enemy of the state. Instead of an unwise reply, he discreetly called for a coin, and pointing to the superscription, said in effect that they should pay unto Caesar the tribute which is Caesar's; and unto God the tribute which is God's. It was true that the Master recognized God alone as his King, and himself as subject only to Spirit and spiritual laws. Environed, however, by those who had no comprehension of the truth so vitally clear to him, he wisely advised that, for the time being, and until a higher state of consciousness should be reached, due respect should be paid to the constituted authorities, while holding fast to the true ideal.

Throughout his earthly life Jesus manifested this same wisdom in dealing with all practical questions. Serving faithfully as a carpenter in Nazareth until his thirtieth year, he recognized the tribute due to earthly conditions. When for three years he stemmed all opposition, even to the facing of death bravely, he was paying tribute to his heavenly parent, overcoming triumphantly every phase of so-called material law by the application of the spiritual. When in later years it was demanded that he pay his taxes, he yielded consent, and Peter procured the necessary coin from the fish's mouth. When he healed the sick, walked on the waves, and raised the dead, he was paying tribute to Spirit. In eating and drinking, in clothing himself with the seamless robe, in accepting the hospitality of his friends, he was characterized by the wisdom which gives due consideration to immediate circumstances and conditions.

In this day the followers of Christ Jesus are called upon to exemplify his wisdom. In dealing with the problem of vaccination, of contagious diseases, and of other health regulations enacted by municipal and state governments, they should act with discretion; but in dealing with their own problems of sickness and sin, the tribute which they render is to God, and God alone. In the question put to Jesus the tribute referred to was a tax, and its payment argued not only citizenship, but obedience to laws of the realm, and willing consent to any effects which came from adherence to those laws. The spiritual lesson herein involved is plain. The Christian Scientist has taken his stand on the side of Spirit and spiritual laws, knowing that matter and its supposed laws involve all discord, including sin, sickness, and death. Whoever, then, is paying tribute to the material realm by acknowledging it as real and God-given, is making himself subject to the evil consequences which ever follow in the wake of homage rendered to materiality. He who renders "unto God the things that are God's," is in the way of receiving the benefits which divine Mind has for those who obey and love Him. Those dwelling consciously in a spiritual universe, who render tribute faithfully thereto, receive the benefits of the laws of that universe, and the outcome of this obedience is freedom, peace, joy, and health.

This rendering "unto God the things that are God's" involves nothing that is unreasonable or burdensome. To yield absolute allegiance to God, which St. Paul asserts to be our "reasonable service," would lift mankind into that unity with God which alone brings dominion and an abundance of good. Surrounded as we are by the things of Caesar, it is right that we should have sufficient food and clothing, that we should dress comfortably, sleep normally, and take vigorous means to resist the false physical laws of Caesar's realm which tend to weariness and weakness and which seek to annul the supremacy of Spirit and the health and joy consequent upon faithful obedience to God.

A tendency of mortals which entails only evil results, is that of rendering unto Caesar the things that are not Caesar's. He who believes that there is power in matter, and administers or receives a drug, thinking it contains power to help or heal, is giving tribute where it is not due. God is the only power and the only presence, and to recognize as real any other power or presence is to pay a tax to an unreal master, who will levy (exact by compulsion) the "uttermost farthing." To acknowledge any other power than God, is as great an error as for the musician to think that there is music in the wood or brass of the instrument. Harmony is Mind's expression; it springs neither from matter nor mortal mind. The enlightened musician pays tribute, not to matter, but to musical ideas, and musical harmony follows as a natural sequence. So those who are possessed of the Christ-understanding know that all power and reality are to be found in Mind alone, and rendering to Mind the tribute that is its due, spiritual and physical harmony are the outcome.

The great Master has had no more faithful disciple in obeying his injunction to "render unto God the things that are God's" than was our Leader, Mrs. Eddy. Her fidelity to Truth is manifested on every page of Science and Health and throughout her other writings, and also in a remarkable degree in her daily life, as those who best knew her gladly attest. She not only gave true reverence to God, but wisely and carefully gave Caesar his proper due. If our textbook renders to "God the things that are God's," it might be said that the Manual of The Mother Church also yields to human relations and conditions their just tribute. Herein is seen the necessity that loyal Christian Scientists be earnest and intelligent readers of the Manual, as well as of Science and Health. It is not enough for one to possess the spirit; it is equally important to apply intelligently and obediently the teachings of Christian Science as given in the by-laws of The Mother Church.

Grateful students of Christian Science feel that one way of rendering tribute to God, is in giving to its Discoverer and Founder her proper due. They know that all the revelations of Truth which have come to them through Mrs. Eddy's writings, have their source in infinite Mind, and they therefore give to this Mind, their Father in heaven, the Principle of all that is, the praise which is His and His alone. They are not unmindful, however, of the honor justly due the one whose clear-sighted vision, loyal obedience to Truth, and faithful adherence to the call of heaven, as she heard the divine voice, brought again to hungering humanity the "bread of life," the ever-present Christ. Realizing also that due regard for her is most helpfully expressed in scientific thinking and living, they tenderly recall her urgent behest upon all her followers: "Follow your Leader only so far as she follows Christ" (Message of 1901, p. 34).

No greater help can be gained in daily rendering "unto God the things that are God's," and so being faithful to our cause, than by seeking clearly to understand and live in accordance with the words already quoted, "Man is tributary to God, Spirit, and to nothing else." Adhering to this spiritual axiom, each one in thought and deed will know that he is a citizen of the heavenly realm; that he is subject only to laws of health and life eternal; and that he is to pay tribute only to the good, the beautiful, and the true. Thus he enters into his actual birthright, and all that the Father hath, becomes his everlasting possession.

Copyright, 1913, by The Christian Science Publishing Society