The Washington herald., 1916-11-26
SCIENCE
/. ! TEACHINGS EXPLAINED
Writer Says Doctrines Throw New
Light on -Four Gospels.

Light on -Four Gospels.
In writing OF the light thrown upon the
four gospels andSthe work Of Jesus by q
study of the teachings Of Christian Sci
ence. Bliss Knapp. c..s. B.. has the fol-
lowing to say in regent issue Of the
Christian Science Sentinel:
There is much to be gained In q study
Of the four gospels in the light Of Chris
tian Science, by thinking Of Jesus as
student who was learning from his hui
man experience; for 1t Is written Of him
in the epistle to the Hebrews, Though
he were a Son. yet learned he. obedience
by the things which he suffered When
he recognized that he did not many
mighty works in his home country, and
that II was because of their unbeiief? ne
departed thence and ministered to others
who were more worthy to receive. Doubt
less he learned the merits Of dtscrimi-
mating examination to determine, the MT
ness of an applicant for healing, AL of
which he tersely expressed as q warning
to others when he said not to cast pearls
before swine On page 254 OF Science
and Health Mrs. Eddy says that We
should avoid casting pearls before those
|
robbing both themselves and others!
| A Lesson for the Master. ~,
| AN ancient custom prevailed with the
Jews which made 1t unlawful to have
dealings with one of another nation, Con-
| trary to that custom, a certain Greek
woman. Syrophenician, besought Jesus
| to heal her daughter. He promptly voiced
the traditional caution of his race by say
ing to her, Let the children first be filled:
| for II Is not meet to take the children's
bread. and to cast 1t unto the dogs IL
is recorded that he regarded the truth he
taught as the bread of life,' and to cast
that living bread to the unworthy or un-
prepared was impossible. His answer
seemed to imply that this woman was ex-
cluded from his benevolence because the
law OF tradition held her In a state OF un-
preparedness She promptly challenged
that position by those intuitive words.
/ Yes. Lord: yet the dogs under the table
eat of the children's crumbs
| I'm this brief sentence the woman dis
closed a wonderful concept OF the tmper-
| ishable nature of the bread Of life. for
would not the crumbs be consumed by
Gods lesser ideas? With that gleam OF
spiritual acumen portrayed SO intelligent
lly. Jesus was convinced of her worthi-
ness, and he said to her. For this saying
go thy way; the devil is gone out Of your
proved the worthiness of the supplicant
by standard that admits of no mistaken
sympathy or tradition. Personal sense
and personal direction were swept aside.
and divine guidance alone decided the Is
sue in the final selection Of the patient.
Not infrequently Jesus became in
volved in disputations with antagonists
which necessitated a considerable amount
of effort and ingenuity in order to parry
I Crn however
Instructive they might be. doubtless con-
sumed much time and possibly interfered
with the legitimate efforts OF others more
worthy. but such interference was swept
aside by establishing the law. as recorded
| in the sixth chapter Of Johns gospel. All
that the Father Giveth me shall come to
me; and him that cometh to me will In
no wise cast out It is to be noted In
this affirma ation of the power Of divine at
traction. that the declared impotency OF
evil Is omitted The presence Of certain
mdesirables drawn perhaps by the as
sembling Of the selected few. brought a
quick observance of the need and its
equally prompt supply: for In the forty
! fourth verse Of that same chapter Jesus
establishes the completeness Of the law
by including the affirmation Of divine
power and the denial OF an evil influence
as follows: NO man can come to me, ex-
cent the Father which hath sent me draw
him.
The Operation of Law.
THE completeness Of that law regu-
lated absolutely the selection Of those
who should come to him. and also those
who should remain away. Human Wis
dom and personal direction were COM
pletSly superseded by the operation OF
divine law A second declaration of that
law in the sixty-fifth verse brought an
/ iaNa fNr 70
that time many of his disciples went
back, and walked no more with him.
Willing then to surrender the final selec-
tion Of his twelve disciples to the oper-
alton of that same law. meekly and hum
| bly, he turned to them and asked. VIII
| We also go away Simon Peters answer
| was. Lord, to whom shall we go? thou
hast the words of eternal life The test
was complete. They had no other place
God had selected them according to the
operation of weIl-defined law.
when John and James ceased 70 foi-
low the Baptist and Joined themselves 10
Jesus, no thought of personal attachment
interfered with their obedience to the
operation of the greater attraction The
world has benefited from that unselfsh
obedience to law which lifts one above
sense of personal loyalty. 1t extends to
ones activities with such completeness
that the healing word of one apostle
could in no wise interfere with the les1u-
mate activities of the others. II pa
tient is led by the operation of divine
law from one practitioner to another, no
injustice has been done. There Is no
sense of loss or gain in the operation OF
/ law. There can be no more occasion or
opportunity of interference between legtt-
innate practitioners than between num-
! bers and notes.
Some Striking Examples.
I'VE may observe the operation OF law
| in the guidance of those who worthily
seek the Christ-healing OF practitioner.
and We may observe 1t in the guidance
OF those who are drawn in congregated
groups to hear the glad message as pre-
sented in the Sunday Lessou-Sernons,
the Wednesday evening testimony meet
ings. and the lectures. 1t may be as
sumed that those five thousand who were
drawn across a desert place where no
material food was to be had. were select
ed and drawn by the operation OF the
same law that fed them. such feast
could not be complete without the disci-
, Piles. The workers in the vineyard must
all he there for thev we're the necessary