Part 25 (1/2)

Were they to save the sinner, and to spare his exposure

[Page 130.]

so long as a hope remained of thereby benefiting him? [1]

Has her life exemplified long-suffering, meekness, charity, purity?

She readily leaves the answer to those who know her. [5]

Do we yet understand how much better it is to be wronged, than to commit wrong? What do we find in the Bible, and in the Christian Science textbook, on this subject? Does not the latter instruct you that looking continually for a fault in somebody else, talking about it, [10]

thinking it over, and how to meet it,-”rolling sin as a sweet morsel under your tongue,”-has the same power to make you a sinner that acting thus regarding disease has to make a man sick? Note the Scripture on this subject: ”Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the [15]

Lord.”

The Christian Science Board of Directors has borne the burden in the heat of the day, and it ought not to be expected that they could have accomplished, without one single mistake, such Herculean tasks as they have [20]

accomplished. He who judges others should know well whereof he speaks. Where the motive to do right exists, and the majority of one's acts are right, we should avoid referring to past mistakes. The greatest sin that one can commit against himself is to wrong one of G.o.d's ”little [25]

ones.”

Know ye not that he who exercises the largest charity, and waits on G.o.d, renews his strength, and is exalted?

Love is not puffed up; and the meek and loving, G.o.d anoints and appoints to lead the line of mankind's tri- [30]

umphal march out of the wilderness, out of darkness into light.

[Page 131.]

Whoever challenges the errors of others and cherishes [1]

his own, can neither help himself nor others; he will be called a moral nuisance, a fungus, a microbe, a mouse gnawing at the vitals of humanity. The darkness in one's self must first be cast out, in order rightly to discern [5]

darkness or to reflect light.

If the man of more than average avoirdupois kneels on a stool in church, let the leaner sort console this brother's necessity by doing likewise. Christian Scientists preserve unity, and so shadow forth the substance of our sublime [10]

faith, and the evidence of its being built upon the rock of divine oneness,-one faith, one G.o.d, one baptism.

If our Board of Directors is prepared to itemize a report of the first financial year since the erection of the edifice of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, let it do so; other- [15]

wise, I recommend that you waive the church By-law relating to finances this year of your firstfruits. This Board did not act under that By-law; it was not in ex- istence all of the year. It is but just to consider the great struggles with perplexities and difficulties which the [20]

Directors encountered in Anno Domini 1894, and which they have overcome. May G.o.d give unto us all that loving sense of grat.i.tude which delights in the opportunity to cancel accounts. I, for one, would be pleased to have the Christian Science Board of Directors itemize a bill of this [25]

church's gifts to Mother; and then to have them let her state the value thereof, if, indeed, it could be estimated.

After this financial year, when you call on the members of the Christian Science Board of Directors to itemize or audit their accounts, these will be found already itemized, [30]

and last year's records immortalized, with perils past and victories won.

[Page 132.]

A motion was made, and a vote pa.s.sed, at your last [1]

meeting, on a subject the substance whereof you had al- ready accepted as a By-law. But, I shall take this as a favorable omen, a fair token that heavy lids are opening, even wider than before, to the light of Love-and By-laws. [5]

Affectionately yours, MARY BAKER EDDY