Giving Testimony

NANCY GUNTER BOYKIN

In the Manual of The Mother Church (Art. VIII, Sect. 24) Mrs. Eddy writes: "Testimony in regard to the healing of the sick is highly important. More than a mere rehearsal of blessings, it scales the pinnacle of praise and illustrates the demonstration of Christ, 'who healeth all thy diseases.'" And the psalmist, who had tasted and seen that the Lord is good, exclaimed, "Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!" The Wednesday evening meetings in Christian Science churches throughout the world give us an opportunity to follow this advice, and so many wide-awake Scientists appreciate the privilege that it is easy for those who are timid to make themselves believe that their contributions to the meeting are not needed. Every church seems to have a considerable percentage of faithful attendants who come week after week, month after month, and listen earnestly to what others have to say, but never rise to tell what Christian Science has done for them. When we neglect this opportunity we are robbing ourselves and our church.

Every sincere Scientist wishes to testify, for we have all been healed many, many times, and it seems rather churlish toward our loving Father to be silent when we are given the opportunity to rise in His house and say, "Thank you;" but error's argument may be that some of us are "too self-conscious to speak in public," or we "have an incomplete demonstration and do not feel that the time has yet come for us to speak," or we are afraid "we will not be a credit to the cause," and so on. When we examine these arguments with an honest heart, we recognize their selfishness and know that there is in reality but one reason for our silence, the unlovely reason that our gratitude is insufficient for the demand upon it. If we are truly thankful to God, "who daily loadeth us with benefits," we shall express that gratitude in spite of all the claims of personal inability; for gratitude silences self-depreciation, self-consciousness, and fear.

Many of us think we have not yet attained that clear perception of the allness of divine Mind which would enable us to speak creditably; yet the promise is, "Take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak." Each of us, therefore, can think out and make a simple, unpretentious statement of some good that Christian Science has brought to us. If our motive has been unselfish and sincere, there can be no doubt of the good achieved. Mrs. Eddy tells us (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 100): "Love's labors are not lost. The five personal senses, that grasp neither the meaning nor the magnitude of self-abnegation, may lose sight thereof; but Science voices unselfish love, unfolds infinite good, leads on irresistible forces, and will finally show the fruits of Love." Even after earnest prayer and conscientious preparation, however, we may still find ourselves unresponsive when Wednesday evening brings our opportunity, and we may go so far as to condone our silence with that truism, "Still waters run deep." If we do, we are cheating ourselves of our birthright. Let us, then, rid ourselves of this claim of apathy, indifference, and ingratitude toward God.

Perhaps we do not quite understand why we should thank God for His goodness; but each of us does need to take this simple human footstep, in order to bless our fellow men and for our own good. To bless our fellow men,—because many a despairing mortal comes to these Wednesday evening meetings hoping to learn what Christian Science can do for him, and the offering should not be meager. The experienced Scientist, accustomed to fill all quiet intervals with clear, right thinking, may enjoy a moderate pause between the testimonies, but the newcomer who is dimly seeking Truth, will doubtless yield to the inveterate habit of the human mind and let his thoughts slip back upon his mundane needs and sorrows, unless there is a constant outpouring of the truth to occupy his thinking. For our own sakes let us learn to express gratitude; for it is the Father's will that each of us should have all good, and yet there is a simple moral law involved,—that if we cease to give out good, we cease to take in good.

So it will be wise for each of us, from the oldest to the youngest, from the weakest to the wisest, to awaken; to see this dumb disease for what it is; to treat it until it is healed. No matter how plentiful the testimonies in our particular church, each one of us needs to bear witness to the truth. Let us know that we cannot be satisfied with the excuse that we "once testified." A dry well cannot slake a present thirst; a long past testimony has no more power to fill a present need than the testimony that some of us are always planning to give in the future. Let us see to it that we are genuinely thankful for our blessings and not foolishly imagine that we are; if we are really thankful we shall express our gratitude to God frequently and gladly. Love is never apathetic and gratitude is never dumb.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

The Cost of True Living

February 7, 1920

Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit