christian science-第31部分

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not　real；　and　consoling　ourselves　in　the　midst　of　sin；　with　the
recollection　that　we　have　prayed　over　it　or　mean　to　ask　forgiveness　at
some　later　day。　　Hypocrisy　is　fatal　to　religion。

A　wordy　prayer　may　afford　a　quiet　sense　of　self…justification；　though　it
makes　the　sinner　a　hypocrite。　　We　never　need　despair　of　an　honest　heart；
but　there　is　little　hope　for　those　who　only　come　spasmodically　face　to
face　with　their　wickedness；　and　then　seek　to　hide　it。　　Their　prayers　are
indexes　which　do　not　correspond　with　their　character。　　They　hold　secret
fellowship　with　sin；　and　such　externals　are　spoken　of　by　Jesus　as　〃like
unto　whited　sepulchres　。　　。　　。　　full　of　all　uncleanness。〃

If　a　man；　though　apparently　fervent　and　prayerful；　is　impure；　and
therefore　insincere；　what　must　be　the　comment　upon　him？　　If　he　had
reached　the　loftiness　of　his　prayer；　there　would　be　no　occasion　for　such
comment。　　If　we　feel　the　aspiration；　humility；　gratitude；　and　love　which
our　words　expressthis　God　accepts；　and　it　is　wise　not　to　try　to　deceive
our。　　selves　or　others；　for　〃there　is　nothing　covered　that　shall　not　be
revealed。〃　　Professions　and　audible　prayers　are　like　charity　in　one
respect　they　〃cover　a　multitude　of　sins。〃　　Praying　for　humility；　with
whatever　fervency　of　expression；　does　not　always　mean　a　desire　for　it。
If　we　turn　away　from　the　poor；　we　are　not　ready　to　receive　the　reward　of
Him　who　blesses　the　poor。　　We　confess　to　having　a　very　wicked　heart；　and
ask　that　it　may　be　laid　bare　before　us；　but　do　we　not　already　know　more
of　this　heart　than　we　are　willing　to　have　our　neighbor　see？

We　ought　to　examine　ourselves；　and　learn　what　is　the　affection　and
purpose　of　the　heart；　for　this　alone　can　show　us　what　we　honestly　are。
If　a　friend　informs　us　of　a　fault；　do　we　listen　to　the　rebuke　patiently；
and　credit　what　is　said？　　Do　we　not　rather　give　thanks　that　we　are　〃not
as　other　men？〃　During　many　years　the　author　has　been　most　grateful　for
merited　rebuke。　　The　sting　lies　in　unmerited　censurein　the　falsehood
which　does　no　one　any　good。

The　test　of　all　prayer　lies　in　the　answer　to　these　questions：　Do　we　love
our　neighbor　better　because　of　this　asking？　　Do　we　pursue　the　old
selfishness；　satisfied　with　having　prayed　for　something　better；　though　we
give　no　evidence　of　the　sincerity　of　our　requests　by　living　consistently
with　our　prayer？　　If　selfishness　has　given　place　to　kindness；　we　shall
regard　our　neighbor　unselfishly；　and　bless　them　that　curse　us；　but　we
shall　never　meet　this　great　duty　by　simply　asking　that　it　may　be　done。
There　is　a　cross　to　be　taken　up；　before　we　can　enjoy　the　fruition　of　our
hope　and　faith。

Dost　thou　〃love　the　Lord　thy　God　with　all　thy　heart；　and　with　all　thy
soul；　and　with　all　thy　mind？〃　This　command　includes　mucheven　the
surrender　of　all　merely　material　sensation；　affection；　and　worship。　　This
is　the　E1　Dorado　of　Christianity。　　It　involves　the　Science　of　Life；　and
recognizes　only　the　divine　control　of　Spirit；　wherein　Soul　is　our　master；
and　material　sense　and　human　will　have　no　place。

Are　you　willing　to　leave　all　for　Christ；　for　Truth；　and　so　be　counted
among　sinners？　　No！　　Do　you　really　desire　to　attain　this　point？　　No！
Then　why　make　long　prayers　about　it；　and　ask　to　be　Christians；　since　you
care　not　to　tread　in　the　footsteps　of　our　dear　Master？　　If　unwilling　to
follow　His　example；　wherefore　pray　with　the　lips　that　you　may　be
partakers　of　His　nature？　　Consistent　prayer　is　the　desire　to　do　right。
Prayer　means　that　we　desire　to；　and　will；　walk　in　the　light　so　far　as　we
receive　it；　even　though　with　bleeding　footsteps；　and　waiting　patiently　on
the　Lord；　will　leave　our　real　desires　to　be　rewarded　by　Him。

The　world　must　grow　to　the　spiritual　understanding　of　prayer。　　If　good
enough　to　profit　by　Jesus'　cup　of　earthly　sorrows；　God　will　sustain　us
under　these　sorrows。　　Until　we　are　thus　divinely　qualified；　and　willing
to　drink　His　cup；　millions　of　vain　repetitions　will　never　pour　into
prayer　the　unction　of　Spirit；　in　demonstration　of　power；　and　〃with　signs
following。〃　　Christian　Science　reveals　a　necessity　for　overcoming　the
world；　the　flesh　and　evil；　and　thus　destroying　all　error。

Seeking　is　not　sufficient。　　It　is　striving　which　enables　us　to　enter。
Spiritual　attainments　open　the　door　to　a　higher　understanding　of　the
divine　Life。

One　of　the　forms　of　worship　in　Thibet　is　to　carry　a　praying…machine
through　the　streets；　and　stop　at　the　doors　to　earn　a　penny　by　grinding
out　a　prayer；　whereas　civilization　pays　for　clerical　prayers；　in　lofty
edifices。　　Is　the　difference　very　great；　after　all？

Experience　teaches　us　that　we　do　not　always　receive　the　blessings　we　ask
for　in　prayer。

There　is　some　misapprehension　of　the　source　and　means　of　all　goodness　and
blessedness；　or　we　should　certainly　receive　what　we　ask　for。　　The
Scriptures　say：　〃Ye　ask；　and　receive　not；　because　ye　ask　amiss；　that　ye
may　consume　it　upon　your　lusts。〃　　What　we　desire　and　ask　for　it　is　not
always　best　for　us　to　receive。　　In　this　case　infinite　Love　will　not　grant
the　request。　　Do　you　ask　Wisdom　to　be　merciful　and　not　punish　sin？　　Then
〃ye　ask　amiss。〃　　Without　punishment；　sin　would　multiply。　　Jesus'　prayer；
〃forgive　us　our　debts；〃　specified　also　the　terms　of　forgiveness。　　When
forgiving　the　adulterous　woman　He　said；　〃Go；　and　sin　no　more。〃

A　magistrate　sometimes　remits　the　penalty；　but　this　may　be　no　moral
benefit　to　the　criminal；　and　at　best；　it　only　saves　him　from　one　form　of
punishment。　　The　moral　law；　which　has　the　right　to　acquit　or　condemn；
always　demands　restitution；　before　mortals　can　〃go　up　higher。〃　　Broken
law　brings　penalty；　in　order　to　compel　this　progress。

Mere　legal　pardon　（and　there　is　no　other；　for　divine　Principle　never
pardons　our　sins　or　mistakes　till　they　are　corrected）　leaves　the　offender
free　to　repeat　the　offense；　if；　indeed；　he　has　not　already　suffered
sufficiently　from　vice　to　make　him　turn　from　it　with　loathing。　　Truth
bestows　no　pardon　upon　error；　but　wipes　it　out　in　the　most　effectual
manner。　　Jesus　suffered　for　our　sins；　not　to　annul　the　divine　sentence
against　an　individual's　sin；　but　to　show　that　sin　must　bring　inevitable
suffering。

Petitions　only　bring　to　mortals　the　results　of　their　own　faith。　　We　know
that　a　desire　for　holiness　is　requisite　in　order　to　gain　it；　but　if　we
desire　holiness　above　all　else；　we　shall　sacrifice　everything　for　it。　　We
must　be　willing　to　do　this；　that　we　may　walk　securely　in　the　only
practical　road　to　holiness。　　Prayer　alone　cannot　change　the　unalterable
Truth；　or　give　us　an　understanding　of　it；　but　prayer　coupled　with　a
fervent　habitual　desire　to　know　and　do　the　will　of　God　will　bring　us　into
all　Truth。　　Such　a　desire　has　little　need　of　audible　expression。　　It　is
best　expressed　in　thought　and　life。




APPENDIX　E

Reverend　Heber　Newton　on　Christian　Science：

To　begin；　then；　at　the　beginning；　Christian　Science　accepts　the　work　of
healing　sickness　as　an　integral　part　of　the　discipleship　of　Jesus　Christ。
In　Christ　it　finds；　what　the　Church　has　always　recognized；　theoretically；
though　it　has　practically　ignored　the　factthe　Great　Physician。　　That
Christ　healed　the　sick；　we　none　of　us　question。　　It　stands　plainly　upon
the　record。　　This　ministry　of　healing　was　too　large　a　part　of　His　work　to
be　left　out　from　any　picture　of　that　life。　　Such　service　was　not　an
incident　of　His　careerit　was　an　essential　element　of　that　career。　　It
was　an　integral　factor　in　His　mission。　　The　Evangelists　leave　us　no
possibility　of　confusion　on　this　point。　　Co…equal　with　his　work　of
instruction　and　inspiration　was　His　work　of　healing。

The　records　make　it　equally　clear　that　the　Master　laid　His　charge　upon
His　disciples　to　do　as　He　had　done。　　〃When　He　had　called　unto　Him　His
twelve　disciples；　He　gave　them　power　over　unclean　spirits；　to　cast　them
out；　and　to　heal　all　manner　of　sickness　and　all　manner　of　disease。〃　　In
sending　them　forth；　〃He　commanded　them；　saying；　。　　。　　。　　As　ye　go；
preach；　saying；　The　kingdom　of　heaven　is　at　hand。　　Heal　the　sick；　cleanse
the　lepers；　raise　the　dead；　cast　out　demons。〃

That　the　twelve　disciples　undertook　to　do　the　Master's　work　of　healing；
and　that　they；　in　their　measure；　succeeded；　seems　beyond　question。　　They
found　in　themselves　the　same　power　that　the　Master　found　in　Himself；　and
they　used　it　as　He　had　used　His　power。　　The　record　of　The　Acts　of　the
Apostles；　if　at　all　trustworthy　history；　shows　that　they；　too；　healed　the
sick。

Beyond　the　circle　of　the　original　twelve；　it　is　equally　clear　that　the
early　disciples　believed　themselves　charged　with　the　same　mission；　and
that　they　sought　to　fulfil　it。　　The　records　of　the　early　Church　make　it
indisputable　that　powers　of　healing　were　recognized　as　among　the　gifts　of
the　Spirit。　　St。　　Paul's　letters　render　it　certain　that　these　gifts　were
not　a　privilege　of　the　original　twelve；　merely；　but　that　they　were　the
heritage　into　which　all　the　disciples　entered。

Beyond　the　era　of　the　primitive　Church；　through　several　generations；　the
early　Christians　felt　themselves　called　to　the　same　ministry　of　healing；
and　enabled　with　the　same　secret　of　power。　　Through　wellnigh　three
centuries；　the　gifts　of　healing　appear　to　have　been；　more　or　less；
recognized　and　exercised　in　the　Church。　　Through　those　generations；
however；　there　was　a　gradual　disuse　of　this　power；　following　upon　a
failing　recognition　of　its　possession。　　That　which　was　originally　the
rule　became　the　exception。　　By　degrees；　the　sense　of　authority　and　power
to　heal　passed　out　from　the　consciousness　of　the　Church。　　It　ceased　to　be
a　sign　of　the　indwelling　Spirit。　　For　fifteen　centuries；　the　recognition
of　this　authority　and　power　has　been　altogether　exceptional。　　Here　and
there；　through　the　history　of　these　centuries；　there　have　been　those　who
have　entered　into　this　belief　of　their　own　privilege　and　duty；　and　have
used　the　gift　which　they　recognized。　　The　Church　has　never　been　left
without　a　line　of　witnesses　to　this　aspect　of　the　discipleship　of　Christ。
But　she　has　come　to　accept　it　as　the　normal　order　of　things　that　what　was
once　the　rule　in　the　Christian　Church　should　be　now　only　the　exception。
Orthodoxy　has　framed　a　theory　of　the　words　of　Jesus　to　account　for　this