The Mote and the Beam

Editor

Many of Christ Jesus' parables are notable for their directness. With precision, and brevity likewise, he conveyed to those who would hear, spiritual truth so potent that were it heeded it would become the means of salvation for all, of freedom from material bondage, even the way to eternal Life.

One of these precious lessons is conveyed in the parable of the mote and the beam, a part of the Sermon on the Mount, as recorded in Matthew's Gospel. In a few brief paragraphs, the Master set before his followers for all time the hypocrisy of rash judgment, the type of thought which would detect and expose another's fault, while holding to the same, or some other mental condition, perhaps even more reprehensible. "Thou hypocrite," he exclaimed, "first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." The implication is plain that in order to be justified in exposing another's fault, that in uncovering error in another, one must first free himself from similar error. Freed from error, one is in a better moral position to assist his brother.

In commenting on the necessity for spiritual preparedness in order to be ready to assist another to gain his moral freedom, Mrs. Eddy says in "Science and Health with Key belief the Scriptures" (p.455), "If you are yourself lost in the belief and fear of disease or sin, and if, knowing the remedy, you fail to use the energies of Mind in your own behalf, you can exercise little or no power for others' help." The situation could scarcely have been put more strongly. Except one, through his spiritual understanding, has proved in some degree the power of Mind to destroy erroneous belief, he possesses little ability to help another; and precisely in proportion to his realization of the all-power and God and the consequent unreality of evil will be his capacity to destroy for another the claim of error to possess reality and power. When the mote has been removed from one's eye, he then is qualified to help in removing the beam which obscures another's vision.

An important phase of this preparedness is moral fitness. Are we morally sound? Honesty and purity are important stones in the foundation of that Christian character which prepares one for the ministry of healing. A consciousness of guilt in any direction, of moral unsoundness, of dishonesty, is a poor mental state out of which to minister to the sick and the sinning; but a definite understanding of man's perfection as the likeness of God, and of freedom from every constricting claim of materiality, constitutes of firm foundation upon which to erect the structure of the healing service. "You must utilize the moral might of Mind in order to walk over the waves of error and support your claims by demonstration," writes Mrs. Eddy on the page of Science and Health quoted from above. Obviously, one cannot invoke this divine power, "the moral might of Mind." except through a consciousness purified and transformed, cleansed of immoral beliefs. How can we expect to destroy for another the error, whatever its type, which we still hold as real? Our own freedom won, we are then prepared to help another out of bondage.

A mental condition often present in human experience is the tendency to criticize, that is, to pass judgment upon another, often with half knowledge, or less, of the circumstances, perhaps extremely adverse, under which that one may be laboring. The parable under discussion, without doubt, contemplates this human weakness. Paul also spoke, in no uncertain terms, of this tendency to criticize and condemn: "Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself." Strong words; and yet the apostle knew them to be true! Evil which no longer finds lodgment in one's own consciousness, to that one has lost its reality. This, however, must not lead to the mistake of failing to recognize the nothingness of the claims of error to be real, the process by which evil is destroyed. It was, obviously, against the judgment of one who still believed evil to be real, yet condemned it in another, that Paul's admonition was spoken.

That only the wholly sanctified are prepared to detect evil, and to uncover and destroy it, does not follow. A degree of preparation enables one to engage in these works. One may use such spiritual understanding as he has gained, thereby gaining more. "A grain of Christian Science does wonders for mortals, so omnipotent is Truth," declares Mrs. Eddy on page 449 of Science and Health and she adds this important admonition—"but more of Christian Science must be gained in order to continue in well doing." Utilizing what we have of truth and constantly seeking more makes for progress in the gaining of spiritual power. Our efforts are blessed in proportion to our fidelity, our humility, and our readiness to leave the old for the new.

Albert F. Gilmore

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Obedience to Authority

February 20, 1926

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