Our Watchword

W. Stuart Booth

Those who mistakenly believe that Christian Science is merely a mental method of healing the sick will learn that such a belief is erroneous, and also will see something of the great demand and broad application of this religion indicated in Mrs. Eddy's words in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 239): "The watchword of Christian Science is Scriptural: 'Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts.' " Somewhat of the deep significance of this will be seen when it is remembered that a watchword is a sentiment embodying a guide to action. That is exactly what this watchword amounts to with Christian Scientists; it is a guide to our thoughts, motives, aims, and actions, directing us to the goal of perfection pointed by our Way-shower, Christ Jesus, in these words: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

For many centuries men have been admonished to cease sinning, and the moral effect upon the world of such preaching has been great; this, in spite of the fact that with all too many people sin and Satan have been pictured as real, influential, and even capable of bestowing pleasure and satisfaction. In many instances the motive of fear has been employed to induce men to forsake sin; they have been threatened with everlasting punishment in the hereafter at the hands of a terrible devil, who, they have been told, has the sanction of God. But it has been found that one who refrains from wrongdoing because of fear of consequences is neither safe from temptation nor is he dependable as a religionist.

By means of the combined light of reason and revelation which Christian Science affords, the sure and satisfying way of overcoming sin and all evil is made plain and available. The appeal of this Science to reason, which is found to coincide with revelation, is based upon the inspired Scriptural teaching regarding God. We learn that the infinite creator of the universe, including man, is necessarily good in nature and expression; divine Principle or Truth, the source of all that is true, is good in manifestation as in Being. Therefore evil—including sin, disease, and death—is no part of the infinite and true creation which bespeaks divine Love and its harmonious government. This teaching conforms to Christ Jesus' declaration recorded in the eighth chapter of John's Gospel, to the effect that the devil, or evil, is a self-constituted falsity—"for he is a liar, and the father of it."

This scientific and Christian classification of evil as negative and powerless enables "the wicked" to "forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts." By means of Christian Science men may learn the truth about God, divine Mind, and man, the image or reflection of Truth and Love. And the understanding and application of the truth serves to eliminate evil and unrighteous thoughts from individual human consciousness. Certainly no one who knows the truth will deliberately and willingly make room in his consciousness for a lie. Great numbers of students of Science and Health gratefully acknowledge their deliverance from dishonesty, hatred, resentment, jealousy, selfishness, and animality, as well as from enslaving and debasing habits, such as are developed by the use of alcohol, tobacco, and morphine. These healings vouch for the fact that "the watchword of Christian Science" is most practical.

Furthermore, the Christian and scientific means and method of healing sickness, which was employed by Christ Jesus, is indicated in our Scriptural watchword. When a man afflicted with paralysis was brought to the Master, instead of considering and dealing with the patient's physicality, this great healer of the sick said to him, "Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee." And at Jesus' command the man arose healed. Evidently the Master discerned that the sin, which had brought the patient into his deplorable condition, had lost its seeming allurement for him; and Jesus' knowledge of sin's impotence enabled and prompted him to annul its claim and its penalty.

It should be remembered, however, that our Exemplar did not impute all cases of sickness to sin—far from it. Science and Health makes it clear that fear is at the root of much of humanity's ills; and, what is of more importance, Christian Science shows the baselessness of fear from the standpoint of the omnipotence of God, good. Fear, then, is one of the unrighteous thoughts which must be forsaken in accordance with our watchword. As we become acquainted with God through the study of the Bible and Science and Health and are consistently obedient to their spiritual instruction, fear is cast out of our thinking even as the entrance of light into a room dispels darkness. Indeed, the acceptance and application of our watchword—forsaking error for Truth, evil for good, sensuousness for spirituality—is the panacea for all ills, because by this means we become truly acquainted with God, the source and supplier of happiness, health, and life eternal.

W. Stuart Booth

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September 29, 1934

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