Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-02

elusive evidence of his belief in Christ.
One cannot do less than put off 1.-The
old man" as proof of his Christianity.
This Misrepresentation of the word
believe" has probably done more than
any other thing to blind Christians to
the real nature and demands of Chris
tianity. The belief is erroneous on its
face that one can be made pure
through another's holiness, or that he
can be made righteous and fit for the
companionship of angels through an
others goodness and unselfshness.
Yet the hope is often held out to
even the vilest sinners, thar on the
very verge OF death, after their career
of sin has been run, they may gain
endless bliss in company with those
who have washed their robes white, y
simply by accepting the belief that the
! personal Jesus did their work for them.
What possible effect in purifying a
sinners thought could such belief
have in the few moments preceding
death, when the same belief has not
produced that effect in others who
have held 1t for twenty years?
Jesus said, He that believeth on
me, the works that l do shall he do"
This unmistakabe statement should
settle all uncertainty or dispute as to
the personal responsibility involved in
believing in Christ. To do the works
of our Master requires more than an
inactive faith; 1t means more than be-
lieving in his goodness and suffering;
it means obedience to his commands
the keeping of his words, the taking
up of the cross and following his eX-
ample
Submitting to the fear and belief Of
death removes no evil from our path;
it does not make the wicked righteous
nor the profiigate pure nor enable us
to repeat a single work OF our Master.
Then when are Christians to do these
works If they cannot do them before
death, as some aver, and II there is no
need to do them after?
All May Learn
If the brief moment of death so puri
fies human thought as to restore the
primitive sinlessness and bliss of being,
then death is the most vital factor in
the fulfillment of Christianity, the
kindest friend of mortals, the sweetest
messenger of divine Love that comes to
earth, and the sooner mankind die, the
better. But as mortals realize that sin
must be suffered for until forsaken,
that evil must be destroyed to escape
its penalty, that salvation must be
worked out to be experienced, this
realization will do more TO awaken
them to the need of following Christ
in deed as well as in faith, than the
ever done or could do.
To understand fully this question
from the Christian Science standpoint
it is necessary to study its text book,
Science and Health, and apply its rules
Christian Science is not a new scheme
Of salvation, but it is the whole of
Christianity. 1t does not excuse Chris
tians from healing the sick because of
incompetence or lack of faith, since it
shows how this lack may be overcome.
1t does not excuse the sinner from the
abandonment of his sin, but 1t shows
him how to purify himself. In Chris
tan Science all may learn how to work
out their own salvation, as st. Paul
enJoined; and thus learning, they may
awake to the fact that the Christ is yet
with them, the redeeming, regenerat-
ing, resurrecting truth of God, whom to
know lis life eternal. "-Christlan Sci
ence Journal.