Christian Science: The Way of Freedom (Summary)
Aimee Holdship, C.S.B., of Sydney, Australia
Member of the Board of Lectureship of The Mother Church,
The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts
"The Way of Freedom" was the title of a lecture on Christian Science given by Mrs. Aimee Holdship, CSB, of Sydney, at the Hobart Town Hall last night. Quoting the saying of Jesus, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me," she said that few realized the import of those words as the answer to an age-old search.
Mrs. Holdship, who is a member of the Board of Lectureship of the Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, said that from the beginning of time, mankind has sought freedom — freedom from the shackles of want, woe, disease, destruction, and death. Has that search been successful?
Great men and women down the ages made countless sacrifices, devoting years to the freeing of mankind from sin, poverty, and disease. Through the unselfed love of millions, large organizations, institutions, and charitable bodies, too, have the same end in view. National legislation has occupied prominent men for generations, laws are enacted to benefit, protect, and free the individual and so the nation. These efforts have blessed humanity, alleviated much suffering, but do not establish a permanent freedom.
Despite the impetus of righteous motives, and the earnest sincerity of clear thinkers, the individual still seeks freedom. The goal is just as desirable today as of yore, and, to all appearances, just as distant. It is here that Mrs. Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, has brought to the world a solution which has a fundamental basis in its definitions of God and man. This discovery is clearly expounded in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," by Mary Baker Eddy, which reinstates the practical Christianity as taught by Christ Jesus.
The freedom enjoyed by some countries through a higher sense of justice, righteousness, and honesty, is now being ruthlessly challenged by domination, frustration, and slavery. So, today, it has become not only desirable, but vital, that true freedom, that "peace on earth, good will toward men," should be demonstrated.
The world is crying out for it, and the means to establish it are being considered by thoughtful men and women of all nations.
Pause for a moment, said Mrs. Holdship, and consider the advice Shakespeare gives through the mouth of old Polonius: "To thine own self be true, and it must follow as the night the day thou canst not then be false to any man." The nation is composed of individuals, therefore, the freedom of each is the freedom of all. The members of a democracy must turn the searchlight of spiritual understanding on the inharmonies caused by the present world confusion. This suffering can only be alleviated by cooperation of individuals expressed in the aggregate as a community or nation.
Are you busy or unemployed? ls your supply limited or does it meet your need? Very often these problems occupy an individual's thinking to the exclusion of all else. They give the individual no opportunity either materially or spiritually to free himself or assist his fellow man. The private problem is so overwhelming, the world problem is ignored. Let us discuss some phases of this private problem and the solution. The knowledge gained in solving the private problem will substantially and potentially aid the solution of world affairs.
The value of Christian Science in solving individual problems is shown in the following instance:
"About 11 years ago, when I was in a deplorable mental and physical condition, I was divinely led to consult a Christian Science practitioner. I had been under the care of many physicians for many years, all of whom gave serious verdicts about my health, prescribing sedatives for insomnia and medicine for serious heart trouble. I had not one night's sleep for more than seven years without taking the prescribed sedative, when I was so divinely led to the truth about God. Half an hour in the practitioner's office made my life anew. I left there calmed and strengthened, and that evening I went to sleep and slept like a tired child without any sedative. I could scarcely believe it when I awoke so refreshed and uplifted, and that continued each night for about a week, when I realized I was completely healed."
Every week and month, said the lecturer, the Christian Science "Sentinel" and "Journal" include many certified testimonials of healings. By healings I mean freedom from poverty, unemployment, disease, and false appetites, such as confirmed inebriety. This literature can be read or purchased at any of our Reading Rooms, and I must refer my hearers there.
The way of freedom was clearly indicated nearly 2,000 years ago when Christ Jesus explained that the things of God could only be spiritually discerned. Discernment is a state of consciousness, a spiritual awareness.
Only through consciousness can you be aware of anything. It becomes expedient for us to study Jesus' instructions as given in the 14th chapter of John's Gospel. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6). His state of consciousness is the true state of consciousness, and it is ours by divine right, even though humanly we must make diligent effort to realize its possession. He was constantly aware of his inseparability from God, the source of all life, action, truth, reality, and love — thus he demonstrated the fatherhood of God. Apprehending Jesus as "the way," we see that first he had to know God, and from that understanding came the knowledge of himself.
Mrs. Eddy, in her article entitled "The Way" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 355:12 et. seq.), points out that self-knowledge is the first stage of the way. At this stage we are cognizant of the God-like qualities we express, and are awakening to the unreality of the erroneous beliefs to which we are subject. We see that God is All, and man is His reflection. Then can we detect the thought whose source is not of God and quickly dismiss it. The mist of mortal selfhood disappears as divine consciousness, or self knowledge, appears.
This calm, quiet understanding of reality, acknowledging God at all times, is spiritual understanding, which corrects every false belief. These false beliefs are the Adam dream and belong not to the realm of true consciousness. On page 355 of Miscellaneous Writings, Mrs Eddy says, "To strike right and left against the mist, never clears the vision; but to lift your head above it, is a sovereign panacea."
To succeed we must gain self-knowledge, and not only deny the evil we say is present, but the evil everywhere. The people flocked to Christ Jesus because he knew that God was the only power and that power was ever present good, untouched of evil, and therefore, there were in the reality of being no sick people, no sinning, no diseased, but God's perfect, free children.
Are we claiming to live in the spiritual universe of Mind — good, or in the material world, subject to the unsatisfying illusions of life and intelligence in matter, with their accompanying brood of evils — sin, disease, and death?
We rise above the beliefs of discord and limitation as we realize that we have God-given dominion and are not subject to inharmony of any kind.
I shall give one example showing its application to business problems: — The incident is from the Christian Science "Sentinel" of June 13, 1942. The writer says substantially that his firm were tenderers for a very important contract and, says he, "from former experience I dreaded the unscrupulous competition which would ensue, and to clear my I thought on this I sought the counsel of my teacher in Christian Science, who, as always, directed my thoughts from the material to the spiritual." The firm had been advised that tenders would close in a fortnight, but shortly afterwards he received word by phone at 9:15 AM of the closure by 10 o'clock that same morning, and, continued his informant, "as you can't get your bank check certified by then or even look over the layout, I can see you will be obliged to pass it up."
At first he accepted the thought that it was humanly impossible, but having sought Christian Science, he accepted the guidance that came, went straight to the head office of the corporation, after considerable opposition obtained an interview with the general manager, and placed the full facts before him. The necessary extension was granted, the tender accepted, the attempted bribery uncovered, and the work completed ahead of schedule, to the complete satisfaction of the parties.
[Delivered Feb. 24, 1944, at Hobart Town Hall, in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, and published in The Mercury of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, Feb. 25, 1944.]