Right Discrimination EZRA W. PALMER          Recently, while looking over the long array of books on the shelves of a public library, a Christian Scientist was impressed with the valuelessness of much that has been written to aid in solving the problems of humanity, and he went back in memory to his impressions when first visiting a large library. As he passed through the long book-studded aisles, he thought that surely here, among these stored-up treasures of learning, he might find the panacea for human needs; that here the hunger for truth could be satisfied, the spiritual vision attained.          Thus impelled, a number of years were spent in study; but the result was not what he had anticipated. Something had been gained of education and culture which was of value in later years, but the youthful faith that in the study of books he might find a remedy for the ills of mortal existence, had been rudely shattered. In place of poise of mind had come impaired health, a pronounced pessimism, and a cynical disbelief in the practical application of good to the betterment of human affairs.          It is a pleasant theory, a theory whose fallacy was exposed by George Eliot in one of her novels, that through intellectual grasp and mental might the really valuable of human knowledge can be separated from the dross of human misconceptions and the golden goal of spiritual reality gained. But Mr. Casaubon's failure, with the failure of many another before and since, has made clear that this dream of intellectual supremacy is impossible of attainment; that no tower can be built upon the foundation of human knowledge to gain the heaven of reality. The search ends in disappointment and disillusionment, and like the workers on the tower of Babel the student becomes confounded. He finds that systems and theories for the improvement of humanity which are elaborated in textbooks, frequently work badly in actual practise. He finds that the ills of mortal existence press upon him, as upon the community and the state, with an unremitting demand which his years of study and research are powerless to meet. The truth of this was borne in upon King Solomon, who, when surfeited with worldly knowledge, said, "Of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh."          Many an earnest student, however, after experiencing the bitterness of defeat in mere intellectual striving for spiritual realities, has awakened to the great fact that in this day and age the golden thread has been found, the spiritual understanding made manifest which leads man from the labyrinth of human knowledge to the summum bonum vaguely idealized by philosophers, the spiritual reality visioned by seers and prophets, which gives not only true intellectual poise but health of body and mind as well. This golden thread is Christian Science, given to the world by Mrs. Eddy. The student of this teaching quickly learns to divide all literature into two classes, — that which voices spiritual truth, and that which merely echoes the human sense of things. He finds that the former leads him along the ascending path of spiritual reality, while the latter, if accepted, darkens his vision, impedes his progress, and intensifies false human beliefs. Guided by spiritual discernment, the latter class interests him less and less, until he finally turns from it entirely, fully convinced that only with the former will his aspirations for spiritual verities be satisfied.          This Christian Scientist, looking back over his disappointing quest for truer vision in the multitude of books of a great library, now sees clearly that his labor was largely futile because of lack of discernment. He had been taught that to arrive at the truth regarding any given subject he should attempt to absorb everything that was written about it, whether true or false. He did not see clearly that nothing of good was to be gained from the study of false or evil systems. He had read and striven upon the mistaken assumption that the study and comparison of good and evil would result in broader and clearer vision for the student, and in so doing he had overlooked the warning in Genesis, that death is the penalty of eating of the fruit "of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." The result was, that his sense of truth became more and more clouded and his desires and aspirations for a freer and nobler life were in a degree stultified. In Christian Science he learned that the essential thing is to know the truth which alone illumines, and that erroneous views are of no value whatsoever; on the contrary, are a positive hindrance.          Because of his enlarged spiritual understanding, every honest student of Christian Science attains a discriminative sense of values which enables him to reject what is false and to confine his efforts to gaining that which is true, which has the ring of genuine merit. Armed with this weapon of right discrimination, his method of using books is immensely simplified. All the pure, the inspiring, and the good that has been given to the world by poets, philosophers, dramatists, scientists, inventors, historians, novelists, preachers, and prophets, is his rightful heritage. He uses their writings and their attainments for humanity, to strengthen his resolution, inspire his courage, enlarge his viewpoint, fortify his rightful position, and urge him on in the course marked out for him as an exponent of scientific Christianity.          On the other hand, the Christian Scientist turns away from the profitless study of those books which assail the truth, or which attempt to explain or defend false systems and exploded theories. In the quest for truth the study of error is valueless. For instance, no rational person would seriously argue that a student should employ his time in studying the archaic theories of the Ptolemaic conception of the stellar universe in order to understand astronomy. These theories have no value save to point a moral, to disclose vagaries of the uninstructed human mind. In like manner, the conception of the earth held by the so-called learned men of the time prior to the discovery of America by Columbus, would not engage his serious attention. So also today, the emphasis placed by various schools on the belief that man is a physical being and the universe a material mechanism, no longer confuses him or leads him astray. He has seen the vision of the allness of Spirit, God, and before the mighty import of this all-inclusive fact he has seen the mortal concepts of material thinking shrink away like shadows before the light of day. He has learned anew to profit by the wholesome counsel of St. Paul: "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."          In the public library above mentioned are the works of our Leader and the authorized publications of our Publishing Society. There are also on the shelves a number of works which assault, distort, and misrepresent Christian Science. What should be the attitude of the student of Christian Science toward these latter works? Would he gain anything of value by studying them? By no means. As well ask a student to study discord in order to learn harmony, or to investigate darkness in order to understand light. Truth is sufficient unto itself, and carries within itself the proof of its own genuineness. Likewise he who would gain the priceless gift of a scientific understanding of the Master's teaching, which heals the sick and saves the sinner, can gain its abounding fulness by the study of the Bible and Science and Health, together with other authoritative Christian Science literature. "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life," said Jesus, and he who would reach it must not look to human wisdom or human knowledge for aid in acquiring it. Mrs. Eddy clearly saw the danger to the student from allowing his thought to be contaminated by false and poisonous literature, and her remarkable wisdom is shown in safeguarding, for the benefit of humanity, both her writings and the publications of The Christian Science Publishing Society.          The greatness of Mrs. Eddy's work for humanity is more deeply impressed upon Christian Scientists as her life and utterances are better understood. Through her scientific grasp of spiritual things, her interpretation of the Bible and of the works and words of Jesus, her students today have a means of weighing all things in the scales of right discernment. They see that if theories and systems of thought are based upon the acknowledgment of the supremacy of Spirit, their rightful place is found, and they fit into the orderly and just arrangement of the universe. They see, furthermore, that if they do not harmonize with the spiritual basis of the universe, they violate the first commandment and are found wanting; therefore, the student of true scientific discernment discards them and relegates them to the scrap-heap of the useless and unimportant. The good, the true, the eternal, remain to cheer and bless humanity in its upward march to God, and their beauty and luster are enhanced by the casting aside of "whatever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie."   "Right Discrimination" by Ezra W. Palmer Christian Science Sentinel, February 7, 1914

 

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