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CSEC ON-LINE REFERENCE LIBRARY |
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ANNIE M. KNOTT, CSD
Here it may be interesting to many to be told that in the earlier days of the movement, while there was much wonderful healing done wherever there were students of our revered Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, or some of their students at work, it seemed for a time as if their work was not marked by a permanent character. While people were wonderfully healed, yet most of these continued to attend their former churches, largely because of family ties, and also because it required a good deal of cross-bearing to leave a recognized and established church for the lowly gathering in a small hall, or occasionally in a private home, where a few students of Christian Science met on Sunday, thankful that they had found in Christian Science the ever present Christ. While Mrs. Eddy herself had the vision of a great spiritual seer, she found it difficult to establish the church which was so much needed everywhere, except as she herself was able to conduct the services. From her own writings we can best learn of her brave efforts, and also of some disappointments along this line in the earlier years; but the present writer will be glad to tell of some incidents which are yet recalled by a goodly number, and which began in 1886. Mrs. Eddy had for some time seen the necessity for organized effort which would unite Christian Scientists everywhere in their endeavors to supply a great need,--namely, intelligent and unified efforts on the part of all workers, as even at that early date there were those who were ready to substitute their own personal views for the inspired guidance of our great Leader, through whom this revelation had been given to the world. There were, perhaps, not many who understood what it means to be a sufficient "transparency for Truth" (Science and Health, p.295) to give out the revelation of Christian Science, and to maintain its ministry under divine inspiration. When Christ Jesus spoke of the coming of the "Spirit of truth," or the Comforter, it was always in the future tense, and yet there seemed to be on the part of his immediate followers the high hope that in a very short time the kingdom of God would indeed appear and all the promises be fulfilled. That such was not, however, the case, according to material sense, we can only account for by the fact that although there were many godly men and women throughout the Christian centuries, perhaps especially at the time of the Reformation and in other favored periods, yet no one's thought seemed to have been sufficiently cleared of material belief so that the light of divine Science could shine through in its fullness, and make it possible to grasp the full import of the Master's promise, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." Had any other man or woman throughout the years been spiritually qualified to discover the Principle of the Master's work and declare it, to take up the cross, and then take each step under divine guidance, no matter how rugged the way, the world would not have had to wait until God called Mrs. Eddy, not alone to give this discovery of divine Science to the world, but to point out the steps needed in the present age to establish "the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth," with all that this implies. Here let us recall the fact that in 1886 Mrs. Eddy met with a few of her students in New York City, and laid plans for the organization of the National Christian Scientist Association. Her purpose was, however, not readily recognized by her students; and so when she sent out by letter a call in March, 1887, to her students throughout the field to meet with her in Boston in April of that year, great was her disappointment when most of them replied that for various reasons they would be unable to respond, the present writer being among that number. Our Leader had apparently come to the parting of the ways, for, to use her own words on page 95 of our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," the world was still "asleep in the cradle of infancy, dreaming away the hours." There was but one thing for her to do, and that was to make a rousing appeal to her students to take without question the step which she had been divinely led to call for. She accordingly sent a circular letter to several students requesting them to go to her, as she had something of great importance to say to them. When this letter was received by the writer, it was to her like the angel's trumpet which should call the dead to awaken. Not a moment's delay was allowed to intervene, and a telegram was sent to the Leader that one at least would respond to her call. Needless to say, this was a most important step in that student's progress, although for that matter, every step taken in obedience to divine law means far more than we are able to see at the time, or, perhaps, for long years thereafter. A small gathering was held in Boston on April 13, in Tremont Temple, and wonderful were the words of our inspired Leader as spoken on that occasion, although but a meager account of them is to be found in the May Journal of that year. She did not, however, hesitate to warn her students that if they failed to respond to what was plainly a demand of Truth in advancing our Cause and uniting the workers in organized efforts, for its promotion and maintenance, this Truth would again be lost and buried beneath the rubbish of the centuries. Those who were present were invited to meet with their teacher the next morning at the College, 571 Columbus Avenue; and on that occasion she again spoke to them of the need of being thoroughly awake and alert to every demand of Truth. On page 137 of "Miscellaneous Writings," in a letter to the National Christian Scientist Association, she refers to this gathering, and expresses her regret at having had no reply when she asked those present if they had any questions to propose. One at least of those present on that occasion deeply regretted her own silence when this priceless opportunity was offered. Here it may be stated that the meeting in April, 1887, was intended largely to prepare the students for the gathering to be held in Chicago in 1888. Again error was doing its utmost to prevent Christian Scientists from responding to this call of our Leader, of the importance of which we may learn if we read on page 134 of "Miscellaneous Writings," where she says: "Let no consideration bend or outweigh your purpose to be in Chicago on June 13. Firm in your allegiance to the reign of universal harmony, go to its rescue. In God's hour, the powers of earth and hell are proven powerless." After two sessions of the National Christian Scientist Association, June 13 and 14, 1888, held in the First Methodist Church, Chicago, the public was invited to listen to an address by Mrs. Eddy in Central Music Hall. This inspired utterance, called "Science and the Senses," begins on page 98 of "Miscellaneous Writings;" and those who had the privilege of listening to Mrs. Eddy's words on that occasion could never doubt that she had been called of God to open up the Scriptures, and bridge, as it were, the gulf between the day of Christ Jesus and the hour at which she was speaking. Thrilling indeed were her words which we find on page 104 of that book: "Who wants to be mortal, or would not gain the true ideal of Life and recover his own individuality? I will love, if another hates. I will gain a balance on the side of good, my true being. This alone gives me the forces of God wherewith to overcome all error." Those, however, who knew the deep import of the world's struggle realized that she had not said too much in the closing lines which paraphrase Tennyson's words in the poem, "Charge of the Light Brigade." If our Leader had not understood better than any of her students the powerlessness of hate and evil, the divine purpose as voiced by her could not have gone forward, and The Mother Church and its branches the world over could not have been established on more and more spiritual lines, until the ends of the earth have come to see, as they are doing today, "the salvation of our God." Although the gathering in Chicago of the National Christian Scientist Association dealt largely with the problems of teachers and their students and the work of Associations, which was intended to lay deep in human consciousness the purely spiritual methods of healing the sick that our Leader herself taught, yet this also prepared human thought for the establishing of branch churches everywhere, thus giving a more permanent character to the healing ministry. The next meeting of this association convened in Cleveland, Ohio, in June, 1889; and although Mrs. Eddy was not present, there were numerous messages from her dealing largely with the question of establishing branch churches over the entire field. These gatherings did much in making Scientists acquainted with each other, and in uniting them in the effort to advance and maintain our Cause under the inspired guidance of our revered Leader, while divine Mind was pointing the way as fast as Christian Scientists were ready to take the steps. The next meeting was held in Lyceum Hall, New York City, May 27, 1890, and was well attended. On page 137 of "Miscellaneous Writings" we find definite statements from Mrs. Eddy to the effect that these meetings of the National Christian Scientist Association had done much in working out the purpose for which they were established, and that now the time had come when, for the present at least, individual work was the great need of the hour. This article may be read with profit many times by all faithful workers, and especially her words on page 138, "Remember that the first and last lesson of Christian Science is love, perfect love, and love made perfect through the cross." In compliance with Mrs. Eddy's wishes appended to the article just quoted, the last meeting of the National Christian Scientist Association was held in the Hall of Columbus, on connection with the World's First Parliament of Religions, held in Chicago in September, 1893. As already intimated, these gatherings were all intended to bring about unification of thought, purpose, and method among Christian Scientists, and thus to give coherence to the activities of the workers everywhere. One of the difficulties encountered by practitioners in the earlier years was the unwillingness of people to unite with Christian Science branch churches, even after they had experienced the healing power of Truth. The arguments used to hold them from taking this step were various. Some persons said there were too many denominations in Christendom now, and that they did not wish to participate in the establishment of another. Sometimes their friends did their utmost to have them remain in their former churches on the ground that if they had found something better than what that church had to offer, they ought to remain and share it with their former friends. A good many persons tried to do this for a time, but they soon found their viewpoint had changed so greatly that they were forced to go where they would not only receive the greatest benefit themselves, but where they could help others more. In the twenty-first chapter of Matthew, verses 12-14, we read that our Master sought to carry the healing truth into the church of his day; but when he healed the sick in the temple, the chief priests and elders demanded of him by what authority he did these things. We also find that shortly thereafter he was crucified for this very work. Another argument frequently advanced was that Jesus never established any church, and that if we claimed to be his followers neither should we. This indicated a rather shallow acquaintance with the Scriptures; for on Peter's voicing his recognition of the Christ, the Master said to him, "Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." This shows that the purpose to found a church was already in the thought of Christ Jesus, and that its fulfillment awaited only the unfoldment of his followers' understanding of his mission. Again, we find in the eighteenth chapter of Matthew a provision accepted by all Christian Science churches for cases of discipline (see verses 15-17). Few persons perhaps realize how very brief was the actual personal ministry of Christ Jesus. So far as the records go, it was not over three years; but most of that time was undoubtedly spent in proving the divine Principle of his ministry in the healing of the sick, and in preparing his followers to carry on the work which he had commissioned them to do. It is awe-inspiring to think that his teaching extended for some time beyond the period of his resurrection. In reading the first and second chapters of Acts, it would seem that he was at that time preparing them to establish his church wherever any were ready to acknowledge the truth of being, and take part in its demonstration on the human plane. It is deeply interesting to read in the first chapter of Acts of the first meeting of the apostles after the Master's ascension, and to hear that the women, including the mother of Jesus, were present with the apostles when they proceeded to elect one to take the place of Judas. In the chapters which follow there are numerous references to the rapid advance of their cause. After Peter's thrilling address it is recorded that in one day three thousand were added to their ranks. In the fourth chapter we find that in spite of threats and imprisonment, five thousand more fearlessly took their stand for the Christ-teaching. When we come to the epistles, we find that churches were being established everywhere the truth was known, and most of these are addressed to the churches. It is also good to learn that women were largely represented in the work of the early church. The sixteenth chapter of Romans may well be read many times, as it immortalizes the names of those who were faithful workers in the primitive church. At the same time, Paul does not hesitate to mark a clear distinction between those who faithfully followed Christ and those who deceived the simple "by good words and fair speeches." In the first, second, and third chapters of Revelation we find those marvelous letters to the seven churches in Asia; and this recalls Mrs. Eddy's comments upon these letters in her Message to The Mother Church in 1900 (p.11). Well may every branch of The Mother Church ponder these wonderful lessons, the warnings and rebukes of divine Truth to mortal sense, and the frequently repeated admonition, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." It matters little to us today what form of government prevailed in those churches, although Mrs. Eddy has expressed her deep interest in the apparently well-authenticated statement that The Mother Church of that day was in Jerusalem (see Miscellany, p.13). The important thing for us to ponder at the present time is the spiritual demand to overcome all that is unlike God. It may also cheer us if at any time we are assailed by doubt or discouragement, to read the oft-repeated words in these letters to the seven churches, "I know thy works." The cities of the past may have disappeared, even their sites may be uncertain, but these inspired messages have been preserved, and are for us today as the kingdom of God is drawing nigh to all who are faithful, wherever they may be; and the rich legacy of Truth which had so long been unavailable for human need is now revealed anew in the light of divine Science. Our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, has given us in the Glossary of Science and Health (p.583) a definition of what the true Church must ever be; and it is so broad that it excludes none, but like the golden reed in the hand of the angel of the Apocalypse, it takes the measure of each church and makes clear each day the divine requirement for every member therein. Our beloved Leader worked long and patiently in her endeavor to establish, so far as outward forms were concerned, the Church of Christ, Scientist, in the way best adapted to present human need. After she had disorganized The Mother Church as first established, also her College and Association, she proceeded at once to reestablish these on lines which would better provide for spiritual unfoldment. While she was with us God showed her the way to take step after step as it was needed; and can we for a moment doubt that He will show us how best to meet the world's great need as the years go on? In this age, as never before, we need to recall, daily and hourly, the spirit, if not the actual letter, of St. John's warning: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. . . . And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." Mere intellectualism will go with the "wood, hay, stubble," which material sense would vainly seek to build upon the spiritual foundation. The one great need in this age, in every age, is the pure heart which sees God, and makes our churches, from The Mother Church down to the smallest branch church or society, folds for the sheep and the lambs. Into these folds, guarded by divine Truth and Love, no destructive thought can ever enter; and those who seek refuge therein will more and more fully realize the import of our Master's words, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
The Christian Science Journal, March, 1924 |
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