John Randall Dunn, C.S.B., of Boston, Massachusetts
Member of the Board of Lectureship of The
Mother Church,
The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts
John Randall Dunn, C.S.B., of Boston, Massachusetts, a member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship of The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, delivered a lecture on Christian Science under the auspices of Second Church of Christ, Scientist, Oakland, California, in the church edifice, 476 Thirty-fourth Street, Oakland, California, Monday evening, May 20, 1940, at 8:00 o'clock.
The lecturer was introduced by Mr. William A. Clayton, a member of the church, who said:
Friends:
We have invited you this evening to share with us a lecture on Christian Science.
A number of years ago, while crossing an intersection, I was hit and completely run over by a small truck. As a result, one side of my body was entirely paralyzed and one foot was crippled so as to be absolutely useless. Through the application of Christian Science, a complete and permanent healing was effected within a few weeks.
We are fortunate tonight to have with us one who is qualified, through understanding and demonstration, to talk to us on this subject, a member of the Board of Lectureship of The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts. His lecture is entitled, "Christian Science: The Remedy for Fear." It is a pleasure to present to you John Randall Dunn. Mr. Dunn:
The lecturer spoke substantially as follows:
Let me say at the outset that the purpose of a Christian Science lecturer is not to attack another's religion; nor does a student of Christian Science ever wish to force his views upon his neighbor. But, assuming that your presence here today indicates a desire on your part to give this great subject an impartial hearing, I am happy to assure you that my pleasant task is merely to tell you the truth about Christian Science — the truth about its Discoverer, its promise, its methods, and its accomplishments, and thereby to remove some of the popular misconceptions of its teachings which are abroad in the land today.
We hear, even at this enlightened moment, the most extraordinary statements about Christian Science. Just recently a man told me that he understands that Christian Science teaches a man in financial trouble to "imagine he has a million dollars," and his worries will be over! Then, too, there is the widely proclaimed fallacy that the Christian Scientist does absolutely nothing for a sick man and in addition to such negligence, makes matters worse by bidding the sufferer to imagine himself well, and he will be well. One hardly need say to a body of thinking men and women that such concepts are absolutely erroneous, and sound as absurd to the student of Christian Science as to the outsider. It will probably be of interest to many to know that possibly no word occurs less frequently in the Christian Science literature, or in the conversation of the informed student of this Science, than the word "imagine." In the Christian Science textbook we find that it appears only five times. A Christian Scientist is more concerned with the little word "know," for he learns that it is only that which he knows that does things; in fact, that which he knows of truth, according to the Scriptures, is that which will make him free.
The word "know" is, in the Latin, scio, and bases our word "science." Now the words "Christian Science" can mean only this: demonstrable, provable, Christian, or spiritual knowledge. Thus the student of Christian Science takes the stand that Jesus' teachings are not mystical, and should not be capable of hundreds of different interpretations; that they are based upon changeless law, and are as provable as propositions in mathematics.
I wish that all who have felt disturbed over the Christian Scientist's concept of the words and works of the Saviour might read that wonderful chapter in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," entitled, "Atonement and Eucharist." These pages breathe a spirit of the most tender and reverent love for and appreciation of Christ Jesus. To quote one of the statements in this chapter, "The divinity of the Christ was made manifest in the humanity of Jesus" (p. 25). I can think of no writings aside from the Scriptures which set forth higher ideals and incite to holier Christian living than this remarkable chapter.
The difficulty, of course, in dealing with most objections to Christian Science is that the objectors have seldom if ever read the textbook, Science and Health, or other authorized literature. Consequently their fund of information upon the actual teachings of this system is as doubtful as was the man's who said he knew that the story of Robinson Crusoe was in the Bible, but was not sure whether it was in the Old or New Testament. Others read Christian Science literature determined to find therein unchristian and unorthodox sentiments, and emerge from their unhappy tasks with a few statements carefully detached from the contexts which prove to their complete satisfaction that Christian Science is the work of Satan.
Our critics then turn their attention to the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, if indeed they have not begun their criticism with objection to her. Are not the calumny, the abuse, and criticism that are hurled at this Christian gentlewoman surprising? Gentlewoman she was; Christian gentlewoman she remained during all the splendid ninety years of her loving, forgiving, helping pilgrimage. Christian woman must she have been to turn, through her writings, an army of men and women and children to the earnest study of the Bible to find there the panacea for all the ills of earth. One cannot help wondering at the world's slow reception of her message, at the world's reluctance to ascribe honor to the woman who found the way of Life. To illustrate: Suppose that an emigrant party on the hot plains has exhausted its supply of water, and weakened, sick, and disheartened, feels that further journeying is futile. Suppose that one of its number, a woman, disappears from the party and bravely starts towards some distant hills. Some time afterwards she returns with strong step and clear eye and says joyfully, "I've found water — water! Up in those hills is a stream clear as crystal, and flowing abundantly. Come, all of you, come and see!" Can you imagine one of that parched, thirsty number saying, "Well, I'd be more inclined to believe it if a man, instead of a woman, had found it!" or, "How do we know that you have found water? You just imagine you have seen it," or, again, "If you did find water, certainly someone else told you where it was!" No, we could not imagine such a reception of the message that the woman delivered. What can be easily pictured is that enfeebled company eagerly, trustfully, and gratefully following that woman to the newly found waters. Yet when Mary Baker Eddy, after years of retirement, searching of the Scriptures, and submitting her discovery to the most practical tests, sent forth to the hungering and thirsting sons of men her work, Science and Health, containing the joyous message that earth's sufferers need only ascend the mount of spiritual understanding to find the waters of Truth which heal sickness and sin and sorrow; behold the unreasonable, senseless opposition of many who possibly are sadly in need of healing themselves, and who allow such opposition to cheat them out of the blessings which would surely be theirs, if they too would only climb the hill and drink.
And how sorely does earth need
today the message of Christian Science! As a French writer has clearly put it,
"The ceaseless unrest of this weary world is the unvoiced cry for
God." "Is there no balm in Gilead," ask the Jeremiahs of today;
"is there no physician there?" Is there no better way of healing the
sick than the constantly changing, experimenting, now succeeding, now failing
methods of material medicine? Is there no solution for the great economic
problems of the world, of capital and labor, of the relations of men and
nations? Yes, Christian Science says to the afflicted, perplexed, and
storm-tossed children of earth, there is balm in Gilead; there is a way out of
mortal discords. That way is the way of spiritual understanding taught and
demonstrated by Christ Jesus.
"But," says someone, "have we not had nearly nineteen hundred years of Christianity, and are not the great problems of being still far from solution?" The only answer to such a query is a definite, No! We have not had nineteen centuries of Jesus' Christianity. Far from it! It is a far cry indeed from the practical, regenerating healing work of Jesus to the inert, unfruitful concept of Christianity that most of us have had. Think you that this world would have been rocked by the convulsions of a great war, swept by the terrors of an epidemic, or held in the clutches of a great unrest, had Christians all these years healed the sick, preached heaven at hand, loved as Jesus loved, and cast out demons as he commanded? We suffer today, not because of an inadequate Christianity, but from sheer lack of Christianity.
What was the Master's definition
of a Christian? Can words be plainer than these: "Herein is my Father
glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples"? Then he
leaves no doubt as to the nature of the "fruit," when he says (as
recorded in the sixteenth chapter of Mark), "And these signs shall follow
them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with
new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing,
it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and, they shall
recover." One of the most pitiable sights these days, when the human heart
is crying as never before for relief and healing, is the so-called Christian man
or woman trying to explain away such mighty statements as these. Recently I
picked up a paper in which was voiced the opinion that the statement of Jesus
in Mark relative to "signs following," should not be dwelt upon
unduly, as considerable doubt has been expressed by many Bible scholars as to
the authenticity of the passage and that it might have been added by a later
copyist, and so forth. Granting that this contention is true, what can the
critics of Christian Science do with this famous statement from the fourteenth
chapter of John's gospel, the genuineness of which has never been questioned,
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I
do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go
unto my Father"? No, try as we may, explain as we may, still stands the
unchanging test of discipleship. It is not, "What is your belief?"
but, "What is the fruitage? What are your works?" and, "Have you
learned to love?" For once again does the great Teacher leave us with no
doubt as to the nature of a Christian. He says, "By this shall all men
know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
There certainly must be few Christian believers, indeed, who in these times of turmoil, discord, and distress do not long to know how to solve humanity's problems, how to bind up the wounded and comfort the sorrowing, as did Jesus and his disciples. And should we not rejoice at the appearing in our age of a volume called a "Key to the Scriptures," and rejoice to find that such a volume indeed unlocks that great gateway of truth, the Bible, and reveals the path which leads to healing and peace — the path missed so many centuries because men had eyes but saw not!
Of course, it is impossible in the few moments allotted for this lecture to give a comprehensive resume of this remarkable book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." The importance of the work may be brought forcibly to our thought, however, when we realize that the last hundred pages are given over to statements of many who have gained their freedom from sin, suffering, and all manner of discord simply through their reading and study of the book. Possibly the chapter to which a sufferer most eagerly turns is that entitled, "Christian Science Practice," for in it Mrs. Eddy sets forth, simply and directly, the steps to be taken in the healing of the sick and the reforming of the sinner. Let us briefly glance at these inspired pages.
Mrs. Eddy begins the chapter with
a remarkable pen-picture of the consistent Christian Scientist. If a seeker
after Truth has any doubt as to the qualifications of a practitioner, let him
read the first pages of this chapter and then see if the one to whom he has
applied for help-measures up to this standard. Mrs. Eddy indicates that the
Christian Scientist who will be able to heal the sick is the one who has first
cast moral evils out of himself, for "heal he cannot," she writes,
"while his own spiritual barrenness debars him from giving drink to the
thirsty . . . yea, while mental penury chills his faith and understanding"
(p. 366).
Farther along in this chapter on Christian Science practice, we find an illuminating portion under the subhead, "Mental Treatment Illustrated." And this is one of the first statements to be seen here: "Christian scientific practice begins with Christ's keynote of harmony, 'Be not afraid!'" (p. 410). As usual, Mrs. Eddy goes to the root of humanity's troubles at the outset, for is it not generally conceded that mankind's greatest devil, its most persistent tormentor, is fear? Now the discovery that the basic error of mortality is fear, and the removal of that fear, are two separate and distinct propositions. Nothing is sadder than the spectacle of a man telling another not to be afraid, and not being able to show him why he should not be afraid. Mortals are more and more asking the question, "How can I escape from the prison-house of sickness, of discord? I am willing to admit that fear put me here, but how am I to overcome fear?"
Mrs. Eddy goes to the Bible to find the medicine for fear, and writes as follows: "The Apostle John says: 'There is no fear in Love, but perfect Love casteth out fear. . . . He that feareth is not made perfect in Love.' Here is a definite and inspired proclamation of Christian Science" (Science and Health, p. 410). Now it is self-evident that the word "Love" used here must be closely allied in meaning to the word "know," or "understand." Can one love that which he does not know or understand? Have not we all heard such statements as this: "You will surely love him, when you begin to see and know him as he really is"? So the love that casts out fear must include an understanding or knowledge of something. But an understanding of what? It cannot be an understanding of anything material, for sometimes those most learned in material medicine or hygiene, or the so-called material science, are the greatest victims of fear. Again, the love that overcomes fear cannot be that commonly designated as human affection, for may not a mother's great love for her child, for instance, be literally impregnated with fear? The same may be said of all merely human knowledge. It must be the love and understanding of that which is infinitely above materiality — the understanding of God and man's relation to Him — that casts out fear and heals the sick.
From first to last the Christian Science textbook turns mortals from a finite, material sense of God to the beautiful, comforting realization that the Great First Cause must be and is Love itself, Love infinitely good, and eternally giving, giving, giving to His creation. Some persons become disturbed when they find that Mrs. Eddy speaks of God, Love, as divine Principle. "That settles it!" they exclaim. "I shall have nothing to do with a system that refers to the Almighty as a principle."
The interesting point to be considered here is that Mrs. Eddy does not call God "a principle," but "divine Principle," capitalizing the written or printed word, and between the two words is a vast difference in meaning. You will find that dictionaries define the word "principle" as "the source or cause from which a thing proceeds, a power which acts continuously or uniformly." What, therefore, could accord more glory to the Father than the appellation "divine Principle," the divine source and cause of all real being — that Giver of all good and love "with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning"? When men begin to comprehend the harmonious, beneficent nature of the divine Principle, Love, they will cease to attribute to God the suffering of material existence. The sons of men are not suffering and dying because of a vengeful God: they suffer and die because of their ignorance of that divine Love, that divine Principle or cause, whose law is Life and unfolding harmony.
Sadly indeed have mortals been victimized all these centuries by their unhappy conceptions of a God who is the author of both good and evil. A case in point is that of the pious farmer who accepted every untoward circumstance in his life as a visitation of God. When sorrows and sickness came to his home, he tried to bow humbly to what he called "God's will." When his house burned down, again it was the Lord's will. His son embezzled and was sent to prison. It was the hand of God. Finally, the family deserting him, and the mortgage on his farm being foreclosed, the farmer went to the county almshouse. Here he assisted with the work, and one day, while ploughing in the field, a violent electrical storm arose and lightning struck his ploughshare, throwing him into a hedge of brambles, tearing his clothes, and wounding him physically and mentally. When the storm had passed he gathered himself together, looked reproachfully heavenward, and, said, "Lord, this is just getting to be ridiculous."
What a blessing to the whole human
family would be that understanding of the goodness of God which would enable us
to rebuke the wretched discords of material sense as Jesus rebuked them, and to
see in them not the hand of a tender Father-Mother Love, but the experiences
that attend ignorance of that Love and law. Many of us have heard at funerals
the seemingly solemn pronouncement of Scripture: "The Lord gave, and the
Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord," and have
completely missed, in a material interpretation thereof, the grand spiritual
message contained in these words. Seeing God as infinite good and Love, we
realize that He gives only life, harmony, and joy, and spiritual understanding
of this truth takes away evil and sorrow and discord.
In his effort to cast out fear and
heal the sick, therefore, the Christian Scientist starts with the divine
Principle, infinitely good, who is Spirit and Love. As the Apostle John states,
"God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." Man, states the
first chapter of Genesis, is made in the image and after the likeness of this
good and loving creator. As the Christian Science textbook puts it, man is
therefore the reflection of God. Can a reflection be unlike that which it
reflects? Can a man stand before a mirror laughing and behold his reflection
weeping? Can a child hold a rose before the mirror and see in the reflection a
vegetable? Certainly not. All that a reflection is or can be is the exact image
of that which is before the mirror. So the man of the first chapter of Genesis
is the image or reflection of Spirit. He cannot be material, for God is not
material. He must be spiritual. Christ Jesus clearly brings out the thought of
reflection when he states, as recorded in the Gospel of John, "The Son can
do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do; for what things soever
he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." If we, therefore, would see
the man of God's creating, we must see him in the spiritual realm. If one would
seek the image and likeness of Love, one will see it only in that which knows
Love, reflects Love, and expresses Love.
At this point, the question may be asked, "Do you mean, then, that God did not create this material man that we know through the senses?" Christian Science means just that, and the Apostle Paul meant just that when he said in his famous epistle to the Romans, ''They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God." Our Master must have meant just that when he said, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing." From the beginning to the end the Bible's central theme is the overcoming of the flesh and all materiality through the power of Spirit. It might be well to point out the fact that material man does not appear until, in the second chapter of Genesis, a mist seems to go up from the earth; and what is this mist but a material sense which seems to shut out the beautiful harmonious creation of Spirit?
Mrs. Eddy in the Christian Science textbook refers to the material sense of things as a mirage — as that which seemeth to be, but in reality is not. Traveling over the great desert of central Australia, and not having encountered any signs of water for several hundred miles, I was surprised and delighted to see, not far from the train, what appeared to be a good-sized lake with the bluest of blue water. I called the attention of a fellow traveler to this. "Why," said he, "you are not looking at water. There is no water within hundreds of miles of us. You are looking at a mirage." Even as he spoke, I still seemed to see that lake. Had I been driving in that direction, I should have altered my course to escape the water; yet, in truth, there was no water there. Does not this illustrate the elusive nature of this mist, this material sense of things, which today, as of yore, seems to come up from the earth, from material premises, and shut out from our gaze the man and universe created by God who is Love?
We have now reached in our analysis that point which may be regarded as possibly the greatest statement in the Christian Science textbook, a statement fraught with tremendous possibilities for the race. Mrs. Eddy shows that Jesus did not look through a glass darkly, did not let his gaze rest upon this material Adam-sense of things. When confronted with a picture of sinning, maimed, sick, and imperfect humanity, he put the glasses of material sense far from him, and to quote the textbook, "beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick" (pp. 476, 477). Have we not in this passage the clearest explanation of that understanding, that love which will cast out fear? What can the statement, "Love thy neighbor as thyself," mean but that we must gain the correct spiritual view of our neighbor — see our neighbor, as we strive to see ourselves, as the spiritual image of God described in the first chapter of Genesis. When we gain "this correct view of man," when we realize that the true selfhood of man and his neighbor is spiritual, not material, this love, this understanding, begins to destroy ignorance and fear, and thus wipes out sickness and sin, destroys misunderstandings, hate, and all manner of discord.
During the great influenza epidemic, when doctors frankly admitted their inability to cope with the malady, those who relied on Christian Science treatment were, in a vast majority of instances, safely carried through. And why? Because fear — fear of disease and fear of death, universal fear and mesmerism — was the real name of the so-called influenza germ, and only spiritual understanding, "the correct view," could destroy that fear — the understanding of God who is divine Principle, Love, and man, eternally at-one with his Maker, reflecting deathless Life and harmonious law.
A woman once telephoned a Christian Scientist asking treatment for her little daughter. "I know it is only my fear that is making the child sick," said the mother, "but I cannot help it. Please do not scold me." "Why," said the practitioner, "God is mightier than your fears, and your family's fears, the doctor's fears, and the whole world's fears! Don't you see," added the Scientist. "you have just been afraid of fear?" This, then, is one of the most comforting messages of Christian Science: "Don't be afraid of fear!" If the carnal mind begins whispering, "I am afraid!" here is a good opportunity to agree with the adversary quickly and realize that it is mortal mind, and that alone, which is afraid; in fact, it has been afraid from the beginning. But man, the reflection of Love, is not afraid, cannot be afraid, for, as the Scriptures say, "There is no fear in love."
Let us consider for a moment the problem of intemperance. Mrs. Eddy was a stanch prohibitionist. Loyal Christian Scientists unite with clean-minded citizens in upholding the cause of temperance in every land. And there will be no need for prohibition laws when every citizen is a Christian Scientist. Why? The Christian Scientist does not indulge in intoxicants for the simple reason that he has learned that there is no real pleasure or satisfaction in such indulgences. Many turn to so-called stimulants because they crave a feeling of well-being, supposed to follow in the wage of strong drink. The Christian Scientist has found a more excellent method. He strives to partake of the wine of inspiration, rather than the wine of fermentation, and through the knowing of that Love "divinely near" (Poems, p. 6) eternally satisfying, strengthening, and upholding man, he gains a sense of peace and satisfaction and well-being never experienced before.
Christian Science, therefore, is
not engaged in taking joy from mortals, it is in the glorious business of
giving to mankind real joy and lasting satisfaction — that joy which the Master
said no man should take from us.
How this understanding of Love is lifting fear and terror from the hearts of thousands and thousands of business men and women in these troublous days. A business man put this question to me recently: "How do you suppose that one carries on in the business world these days without some understanding of Christian Science?" And I promptly answered, "Don't ask me. I really do not know!" And I do not. One cannot but wonder at the courage of the men and women who face the many arguments of fear and lack and depression in this period of upheaval without some understanding of divine Principle on which to plant themselves.
Now the first thing that the student of Christian Science, who is in business, discovers is that he is not working for himself, for this man or that corporation. If his work is honest, clean, if it is operating to meet one of the world's legitimate needs, he realizes that he is working for divine Principle; in other words, he is about his Father's business. Is real busy-ness poor? Can infinite good be less than infinitely active? So, you will not hear the Christian Science business man declaring for bad business. Suppose there should be sent forth in human consciousness the fear that the air we breathe was in danger of exhaustion and that people should be cautioned against deep breathing and reckless expenditure of the ozone. Possibly one would meet large numbers of panic-stricken individuals with the ever-present question trembling on their lips, "How's your air?" And if the response would be the same as that given to "How's your business?" it is easy to conjecture what it would be. So, the student of Christian Science takes the hand of the great Employer, divine Principle, and thanks Him that His business, the activity of good and right ideas, is good; it is infinite, so there is enough for all. Fear cannot stop it. Universal mesmerism of lack or greed cannot stop it. In the book of Joel, in the Bible, we read, "Let the weak say, I am strong"! Let the fearing business man or woman plant himself on the rock of divine Principle and declare, "Business is good, for good is God, and God is omniactive." This is not, as might be supposed at first glance, just pleasing optimism. The scientific optimist bases his optimism on substance, not shadow. You have all heard the familiar verse:
"Twixt optimist and pessimist the
difference is quite droll —
"The optimist the doughnut sees,
the pessimist the hole."
Thus real, scientific optimism is predicated on gaining the correct view of God's man and God's plan, and keeping thought above the mirage of fear and limitation. To paraphrase the words of the ninety-first psalm, — A thousand limitations shall fall at thy side and ten thousand fears at thy right hand but they shall not come nigh the right thinker and doer. The man or woman about the Father's business will be found doing business when all around may be crying out that there is no such thing.
I knew a man once who owed another
a large sum of money, and who, apparently, was endeavoring to evade payment
thereof. The feeling was not a happy one between the two men. The creditor
constantly regarded the other as an ungrateful withholder, whilst the debtor
could see in the creditor only a grasping mercenary thought. Things went from
bad to worse for some time until Christian Science came to the rescue of the
creditor. He then realized that he had been dwelling only in the mirage of
material sense testimony, and had been seeing his brother as a withholder.
Gradually it dawned upon him that man cannot withhold if he is the very
expression of Love itself. With this realization, all bitterness dropped away,
and the very day following the lifting of this mist, and without any further
demand upon his debtor, he received a kind letter from him enclosing a check in
full payment of his account.
Years ago while reading in the Bible the story of the raising of Lazarus — how the Master brought him forth from the tomb "bound hand and foot with graveclothes," and how Jesus said to those who stood by, "Loose him, and let him go" — I was tempted to wonder why the Master's work had not removed Lazarus' bonds. And yet is there not a lesson here for every one of us? Is it not possible that before they put away the body of Lazarus, they called in some friends and neighbors to assist with the binding thereof? (Friends and neighbors are generally very good binders!) Yes, and possibly the family of Lazarus lent a hand too. (Families are excellent binders!) and they bound him well. The Bible says that even Lazarus' face was bound about with a napkin; and when Jesus brought him forth he said to that family and those friends, "Loose him, and let him go"! What a wonderful thing could happen here today if everyone in this audience should resolve to strive from this moment to be in this great "loosening" business — the glorious business of striking from ourselves and our brother the binding chains of limitation, of hate, and of wrong thinking! What binders have mortals ever been! What burdens of fear, limitation, and expectation of trouble and imperfection have we laid on ourselves and others! "Loose him, and let him go"! Let the ego go to the Father, to his real selfhood — the glorious reflection of limitless Love and infinite good.
The textbook tells us that "the way to extract error from mortal mind is to pour in truth through floodtides of Love" (Science and Health, p. 201). Let us, therefore, realize the certain and never failing effect of the truth of being and keep on pouring! Then surely shall we witness the fulfillment of Malachi's beautiful promise that divine Love will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing, "that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
There is no record in history, so far as we know, of the death of the Apostle John. Certain it is that "he whom Jesus loved," who caught the spiritual sense of the Master's message as did none other of Jesus' students, rose above the argument of age and decrepitude, and walked with men long after the rest of the disciples had gone from human sight. A well-known tradition has it that the beloved Apostle was once taken to a small gathering of Christians, who were eager to see and hear one who had been with Jesus. They pressed him to tell them some of the wonderful things the great Teacher had said. A sacred hush fell on them all, and after a few moments St. John said reverently, "Little children, love one another." They waited breathlessly for him to go on, but he said no more. Then they importuned him to continue. Again he said, "Little children, love one another." "Why do you always keep saying that?" asked one of the audience. "Because," John answered, "the Master was always telling us that nothing mattered much if we only loved one another."
Oh, how sadly do earth's children need this lesson today! Certainly Jesus was not commending that so-called love which is only sentimental emotionalism, or that "sickly charity" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 211) which Mrs. Eddy describes as supplying "criminals with bouquets," but that Love divine, which looking through the Adam-mist and dispersing it, sees only the man of God's creating and separates all evil from him, thus destroying inharmony, sickness, and sin.
The Good Book tells us that though we speak with the tongues of men and angels, and have not Love, we are become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal; though we have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though we have all faith, so that we could remove mountains and have not Love, we are nothing; and though we bestow all our goods to feed the poor, and though we give our bodies to be burned, and have not Love, it profiteth us nothing!
Love suffereth long, and is kind; it envieth not, vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil. Love never faileth — Love never faileth!
[Delivered May 20, 1940, at Second Church of Christ, Scientist, 476 Thirty-fourth Street, Oakland, California, and published in The Oakland Tribune, May 22, 1940. This lecture is based substantially on Mr. Dunn's earlier lecture "Christian Science: The Understanding of Love". New material is introduced in the sections from "'Correct View' Heals the Sick" through "'Loose Him, and Let Him Go'," inclusive.]