Excerpts from Who Shall Be Greatest? M. G. KAINS          The American daily press has recently had a good deal to say concerning the twenty greatest men who have "made the world what it is." Following the first announced list have appeared revised lists made by prominent people who dissent more or less from the views expressed by the compiler of the initial score. Perhaps the most striking thing that characterizes all of these lists is that the compiler of each reveals more or less of that bias due to his own line of work, his nationality, or his point of view, which is wont to minimize the greatness of one man while magnifying that of another. For instance, a noted inventor included in his choice men who for the most part are inventors. He omits authors, poets, discoverers, statesmen, and others who do not come within the range of his personal vision. A second compiler includes several noted physicians, all of whom a third compiler omits. Every list is faulty from some standpoint, because each man chooses from a different basis of judgment. Candidates with the clamorous claims of their sponsors are thrust upon us until we are almost led to believe that greatness is a relative or uncertain attribute dependent upon the measure which the estimator employs. ...          To determine who is thought to be the greatest, who is worthy to be included in such a final list, is after all an unimportant consideration. What is of far more importance is the recognition of what constitutes greatness, what is its basis and explanation. Such a discovery would be of service to the unnumbered thousands who today are yearning to be great, and we do well therefore to make a deliberate and searching scrutiny into the lives and works of noted men for this purpose. ...          Most people are, unfortunately, not willing to be really great; they only want to feel great. No aim is surer to miss the target; it is a personal squint which makes true aim impossible. Such people do not believe in the reward which follows the knowledge that they have done their work well. They yearn for the plaudits of the populace and madly scramble over one another to seize the glittering bauble of notoriety. They studiously avoid the one safe, sure way to be great; namely, by putting greatness per se out of their minds and, with all the love and interest of which they are capable, by doing whatsoever it is their duty and within their capacity to do. The man who hunts greatness runs away from it. On the other hand, to turn one's back upon the blandishments of fame or what masquerades as such, and persistently to do with one's might whatsoever must be done, is the one sure, safe way to be made "ruler over many things," and to merit a reward in proportion to the importance of the work done. It is not necessary to greatness that any other human being than the doer should have the least hint of what the work is. The doer cannot escape the approval or the condemnation of his own conscience. "The reward of a deed well done is—to have done it," as someone has aptly said.          The one thing which characterizes every truly great man is that his work has been done unselfishly. No really great man ever worked for himself alone. He was far more interested in solving a worthy problem than in any direct results it might have upon his fortune, his fame, or anything connected with himself. The problem was his only because he made it so. It was more or less a world problem, and he felt that its solution was incumbent upon someone; hence, why should not he do his part to exalt this valley, lower that mountain, make this crooked way straight, and that rough place plain, so that the glory of the Lord might be revealed and all flesh see it together? He recognized the importance of doing his work because it had to be done in the service of humanity. Through evil report and through good report he clung to his task until he had reached the solution, and thus had placed all future generations in his debt as the result of his self-sacrifice, for such labor is every labor of love.          With very few notable exceptions, the greatest men and women have worked at a serious disadvantage because, though inspired by unselfishness to perform their labors, they relied upon and were affected more or less by human will. Here a notable contrast is presented in the instance of the great Wayshower, who worked upon the basis of a scientific Principle which in innumerable ways he set forth, utilized for humanity, and thus made it possible for all who wish to benefit thereby. "Jesus of Nazareth," says Mrs. Eddy, "was the most scientific man that ever trod the globe. He plunged beneath the material surface of things, and found the spiritual cause" (Science and Health, p. 313). He was not willing to stop with satisfying himself. He expounded his philosophy in the only satisfactory way that such a philosophy could be expounded: namely, by presenting tangible proof of its correctness in the healing of the sick and the raising of the dead. Without such proof his teachings would have fallen by the wayside. Similar proofs, presented in an overwhelming number of instances, today compel the conviction that Mrs. Eddy has discovered the Principle which Jesus employed in his work, and of which she declares that "the vital part, the heart and soul of Christian Science is Love" (Science and Health, p. 113).          Here is the key to greatness—Love. Moses set forth the twin laws, love to God and love to our neighbor. After the lapse of centuries Jesus emphasized and proved these laws by his works, and in this age Mrs. Eddy has again taught the practical nature of the law of Love, the law of God. Here then is the basis of true greatness. It expresses itself naturally,—not in striving for personal aggrandizement, power, position, or fame, but in the emulation to be of service to others, for "he that is greatest among you shall be your servant." As writes the poet:— Who drives the horses of the sun Shall lord it but a day, Better the lowly deed were done And kept the humble way. The rust will find the sword of fame, The dust shall hide the crown. Aye, none shall nail so high his name Time will not tear it down. The happiest heart that ever beat Was in some quite breast, That found the common daylight sweet, And left to heaven the rest.   Excerpts from "Who Shall Be Greatest?" by M. G. Kains The Christian Science Journal, April, 1912

 

| Home | Library |

Copyright © 1996-2002 CSEC