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CHAPTER XXVIII

CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS

E conclude these brief, comparative extracts from the writings of prophets, sages, teachers, and reformers, many of the best and noblest of the Christian Church of the past,-with the language of St. Paul: "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight

.. and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." (Hebrews 12:1, 2.)

Hope and expectation is surely warranted that all prejudice, all misunderstanding regarding the teaching of Mrs. Eddy, be laid aside in view of the fact that this study of other great and earnest Christian thinkers has certainly presented abundant proofs that she spoke truly, and rightly, when she wrote:

"Christ's Christianity is the chain of scientific being reappearing in all ages, maintaining its obvious correspondence with the Scriptures and uniting all periods in the design of God." (Science and Health, p. 271.) The world is reaching out, ever more and more ardently, for the true knowledge of Spiritual Healing. Everywhere the Christian Churches are hungering for it. They are open to its revival; they are ready to give it their sanction,more, their blessing. Here and there, in little groups and in isolated instances, divine healing is manifested. Tentatively, and hopefully Christians of every denomination

and creed are pondering the subject, and inquiring is it possible? can it be? It is finding its way on to the Agenda of important Congresses. It takes up columns in the daily newspapers. It has already burst the barriers of sectarianism. In many homes it is asked for with great yearning, and at the same time, alas! with great timidity. Can it be exercised side by side with medicine and surgery? No. Well then, why not? They are unwilling to trust it wholly simply because they do not understand its Principle. But in spite of this hesitation the spiritual healing of sickness, as well as of sin, is dawning upon the world with mighty power, and it is destined to increase in efficiency every month and year. Mankind will work with sure results in proportion as they accept the revelation of Christian Science and study it for themselves with gratitude and humility.

It is useless for the Churches to say that because this teaching is to be found in the Scriptures, they can therefore ignore the founder of the Christian Science movement. Such a course of conduct would be like trying to profit by the teachings of the New Testament without making any mention or study of the writers of the epistles. Mrs. Eddy herself has truly said that:

"Abuse of the motives and religion of St. Paul hid from view the apostle's character, which made him equal to his great mission. Persecution of all who have spoken something new and better of God has not only obscured the light of the ages, but has been fatal to the persecutors. Why? Because it has hid from them the true idea which has been presented." (Science and Health, p. 560.)

A moment's reflection on the part of all Ministers of

God's Word, would bring consent to the fact that no man could willingly be so ungrateful, as to refuse to recognize and accept the life-mission of one who had prayed, worked, suffered and endured the ignorance, the doubt and the indifference of a world pitifully asleep to the coming of the promised Comforter "the Spirit of Truth."

Why should Christendom continue to argue against its own misunderstanding of Christian Science, instead of sincerely seeking to find out and prove what Christian Science truly is? Above all, why should it still seem strange and incredible that the revelation of Truth in this age should have come through a woman?

Respecting this last, it is to be remembered that Christ Jesus communicated his most profound teachings to women. His last and most important charge concerning Christian fellowship was given into the keeping of a woman. When Simon Peter had advanced so far in the knowledge of Spirit that he could perceive the divinity of the Christ, he exclaimed in answer to Jesus' question, “But whom say ye that I am?" "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Because of this understanding, Jesus told Peter that he was blessed, inasmuch as this truth was not of flesh and blood, but a revelation from the Father, and then He solemnly added, "upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

With flames of a fitful faith, at times well-nigh quenched in the darkness of gross materiality and superstition, the followers of Peter have maintained in the world the truth of the divinity of Christ. Nevertheless, it was not to Peter that Jesus gave His final instruction about the Church. On that glorious Resurrection morning, in that unspeakably sacred and victorious moment when Mary Magdalen recognized her risen Master, Jesus "Rabboni”

said to her, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." (John 20: 17.)

This woman, as an ever increasing number are being led to believe, came over to Glastonbury in the Isles of Britain, and established the first Church of Christ in the heart of the House of Israel. But her charge was not then fulfilled, her ministry to mankind completed. During many centuries woman was being prepared to bring to fruition this most precious seed of spiritual truth. The true Church was to ascend out of all corporeal personality, out of all ⚫ consciousness of life in the flesh. "Go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God."

In the ripeness of time Mrs. Eddy was given the intuitive perception to discern the science of being, and the power and might again to proclaim the Master's healing message to the world, and thus to fulfil the Apostleship of the woman of Christian history. To her was given the spiritual insight to affirm and declare:

"Become conscious for a single moment that Life and intelligence are purely spiritual,-neither in nor of matter, and the body will then utter no complaints. Sorrow is turned into joy when the body is controlled by spiritual Life, Truth, and Love. . . . Entirely separate from the belief and dream of material living, is the Life divine, revealing spiritual understanding and the consciousness of man's dominion over the whole earth. This understanding casts out error and heals the sick, and with it you can speak 'as one having authority.'" (Science and Health, p. 14.)