Exchangers of Service
There is perhaps no sphere where there is more scope for the healing activities of Christian Science than in the business world.
When it is realized that probably more than half the world is directly or indirectly engaged in some branch of commerce, and practically every adult is engaged in some form of buying, if not selling, it will be seen how necessary it is for Christian Scientists to have the right concept of business, if Christian Science is to deliver its full message of healing to humanity.
It is perhaps a fault, due to the upbringing of many of us, that we feel, or may at some time have felt, a distinct aversion to associating any business activity with spiritual things, feeling that between religion and business there must of necessity be "a great gulf fixed." This is because business has, alas, too often been associated in our thoughts with greed, self-interest, and even with sharp practice or dishonesty; at any rate, with a certain amount of relentless competition, or aggressive material methods, which leave little or no room for the kinder relationships of human life. We have, moreover, held to the concept of business as the exchanging of money rather than as the exchanging of service. There is some evidence, however, that the thought of service is beginning to gain a foothold in the business world; and that this results in good business, from the human standpoint, is borne out in the experience of many successful business men and women today.
Now, what is it that is bringing about this changed concept of business? Is it not the revelation of Christian Science, given to the world by Mary Baker Eddy? This religion is uncovering and destroying many false concepts concerning business, and is lifting thought out of the sphere of selfish conflicting interests, into the domain of loving service, wherein all may find themselves engaged in the joyful occupation of supplying the needs of their fellow man, and, in return, having their own needs supplied. Christian Science teaches that man reflects and expresses God, divine Love; that each idea of God reflects the one infinite good, and, therefore, in Love's realm the only real commerce is the sharing of Love's bounties and affluence.
Mrs. Eddy writes on page 296 of her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," "Metaphysics resolves things into thoughts, and exchanges the objects of sense for the ideas of Soul." Christian Science, therefore, not only comes with its message of healing to those suffering from sin, sickness, and inharmonious personal relationships and difficulties, but in a wider way replaces every false concept with the true concept or spiritual idea. When we remember how large a proportion of his time the average person spends in business activities or in the supplying of human needs, we realize how necessary is spiritualization of thought, the exchanging of the objects of sense for spiritual ideas. Indeed, this Christianly scientific mental process should logically and conscientiously be carried into the minutiae of daily life, so that every smallest business transaction may be looked upon as a joyous opportunity to bless one's fellow men and at the same time supply one's own needs, thus "seeking his own in another's good" (ibid., p. 518).
No activity of our movement has more direct contact with the business world than the advertising department of our international daily newspaper, The Christian Science Monitor, and for this reason it is playing its part in bringing Christian Science to the world. This advertising activity, however, still appears to occasion some misapprehension, and the thought is sometimes expressed that it savors of commercialism. But, as everyone knows, it is part of the province of a newspaper to carry advertisements. These are an aid to public information, constituting, in effect, the business news of the district the newspapers serve, and carrying advance notices of its social and public events. Newspapers in general are supported and maintained largely by the revenue from advertisements. In this the Monitor is no exception.
What is the thought behind this advertising? In other words, how did the advertisers—for the most part non-Christian Christian Scientists—come to advertise in the Monitor? Because they had concluded that practical good would come to them in exchange for the support they give to our paper by placing their announcements in its columns. These advertisers are doing their part in providing the funds necessary to run our newspaper. The question remains, Are we, in return, fulfilling our obligation to them? As individuals, each has his part, however humble, in fulfilling this contract, this exchange of service. In this, as in every other activity of the Christian Science movement, we should be actuated by the Golden Rule, the honest desire to reciprocate service, in recognizing and supporting the advertisers.
May we realize that there is no impassable gulf between religion and commerce. May we be mindful of the way in which our beloved Leader couples spiritual ideas with the practical supply of our daily needs when she writes in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 307), "God gives you His spiritual ideas, and in turn, they give you daily supplies."
May we remember that there is in reality only one universe, the universe of God's creating, the universe of spiritual ideas. May we realize that we are engaged, one and all, in the only real business, the Father's business, the business of receiving and expressing spiritual ideas. May we, in other words, be true exchangers of service!
