Journeying onward

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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT.

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Copyrighted 1908 by
Lillian De Waters

Mount Vernon, N. Y.
All Rights Reserved

JOURNEYING
ONWARD

BY

Lillian De Waters

published by

Lillian Dr Waters

No. 10 North Tenth Avenue

MOUNT VERNON, N. Y.

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LIBRARY ot CONGRESS

1 wo Copies Kecesvee

JUL 8 . W08

CLASS. ^ AXc. flu

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COPY S.

PREFACE.

FOR those who are hungering after a
better understanding of God, and
for those who need to be led to
Christian Science, this book is
sent into the world.

The author wishes to state emphatically
that the truths contained herein have
been gained wholly through an earnest
study of the Bible and of the writings of
Mary Baker G. Eddy, the beloved founder
of the modern Christian Science move-
ment, originally founded by Christ Jesus.

Christian Science is taught in the
Christian Science text book, "Science and
Health with Key to the Scriptures," and
it would be impossible for one to simplify
or amplify the truth contained therein.
Hence, the author's purpose in sending
forth this little book is neither to teach
nor to explain that which our dear Leader

has given to the world, but it is sent forth
with the simple wish that it may find a
welcome in answering some of the ques-
tions which were perplexing to the author
and which may be perplexing to thousands
of others brought up under the types of
religious teachings, which have been
widely prevalent in recent centuries, and
are largely followed at the present.

Lillian De Waters.

JOURNEYING ONWARD.

"^■^ERTAINLY we believe in the
I Bible," said the Christian Scien-

V*_** tist, as she looked into the face
of a minister whom she had re-
cently met, as their train was rapidly-
speeding along on its journey.

"There never was so inconsistent a peo-
ple/' began the minister, "as Christian
Scientists. They twist passages in the Bi-
ble to suit themselves, and declare that
there is no such thing as sickness, sin and
death, while all around us are those who
are weary, heavy-laden with sickness, in
the depths of despair, and dying in count-
less numbers." Pausing a moment, he went
on: "They tell the poor, that there is no
poverty ; the sick, that there is no pain ; and
they console the mourner with the state-
ment that there is no such thing as death."
"Have you finished?" said the girl, as
she turned her face toward him. He saw
a smiling face, aglow with health and an-

JOURNEYING ONWARD

imation, and he noted the bright, joyous
expression.

"No," he replied, "I have much that I
would like to say to you; and if I am
wrong in the thoughts which I just ex-
pressed, I would indeed be grateful if you
would correct me."

The Scientist was glad to hear the ring
of sincerity in his voice. "I do not believe
in arguing," she returned, "but when one
asks for information regarding Christian
Science, I am glad, as far as I am able, to
correct any erroneous ideas which he or
she may have on the subject. As I just
said to you, we believe in the Bible. Now
let us reason together and see if we can-
not untangle some of these apparent 'in-
consistencies/ Of course you are familiar
with the first chapter of Genesis?"

"I have been reading it for forty years,"
answered the minister.

"Very good," said the girl, with an
amused look. "Who is spoken of in this
chapter as our only Creator?"

"God."

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"Has there ever been any other Cre-
ator ?"

"Never. 'All things were made by him;
and without him was not anything made
that was made ;' " replied the minister,
quoting from the first chapter of John.

"Yes," agreed the Scientist, "every-
thing was created, and God's work was
finished, so that nothing was made after
that; for, you know, it reads, 'And God saw
everything that he had made, and, behold, it was
very good* So we have a list in this
chapter of all that God made. It was all
'good' and His work was finished.,,

"Certainly," returned the minister.
"We agree precisely; I see no point of dif-
ference there."

"But, perhaps you may," said the girl,
with a little nod. "Man was created spir-
itually, 'male and female' Is there any
record there of sin, sickness and death
being attached to him?"

"No," with a little uneasiness.

"Do you know of any medicines created
or specified for man?"

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

"N-o, but—"

"Now, we will have no 'buts' just yet,"
said the girl, smiling. "You admit, then,
that God did not create sin, sickness and
death, and did not provide material reme-
dies for man's welfare and comfort?"

"Well, there is no record made of it
there," began the minister, "but, we know
that sin came with the serpent; and,
surely," he continued with spirit, "there is
enough of medicine, of sickness and death
around you, to know that they exist, and
you have just said that God is the only
Creator."

"Yes," she replied, thoughtfully. "I
have been led to see and to prove that
truth. You acknowledge that God made
all, and that there is no record of sickness
in the record of creation. Now will you
tell me, If He made all, and pronounced
all good, and if there is no other Creator,
who created sickness?"

Her steady, clear gaze made him feel
that he was in a corner; but, endeavoring
to appear at ease, he hastened to speak

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

"Suppose we should admit, for the
sake of argument, that God did not
create sickness; even then, we must ac-
knowledge that He allows or permits it,
for the furtherance of good in His people,
or for the sake of bringing them closer
within the bounds of His infinite love and
compassion."

"If God does not create sickness/' said
the Christian Scientist, slowly, "where
does He get it, in order to send it upon His
children?"

The man plainly looked embarrassed.

"Why," he began, "that is a very queer
way of looking at it. I had never thought
of it in that light ; but," he continued,
"there is a power, you must admit, which
we call evil."

"Do you mean a personal devil?" ques-
tioned the girl.

"Well, er — " fumbling with his coat
lapel, feeling that he might be entrapped
again. "Why, yes."

"Who made him?" inquired the girl.

"Why, evil has existed since the begin-
ning of the world!"

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

"But," exclaimed the girl, "you have al-
ready admitted that God made all, every-
thing, and that it was good!"

The minister felt that he was getting
none the best of his fair companion, but he
replied in good faith : "Well, of this I am
sure, that evil and sin exist. If they did
not come from God, they must proceed
from some other source."

"Yes, we agree there," said the girl,
warmly, "but our point of difference is
with regard to the 'source.' "

"In your religion, do you believe that
God does not send sickness?" asked the
minister.

"Yes," answered the girl. "If I thought
that God sent sickness, I should not try to
get well ; for it would not be wise for me to
try to get rid of anything that God want-
ed me to have. In fact, it would be a sin."

"H'm. Do you think that God allows or
permits sickness?" continued the man, his
voice betraying his interest.

"I have been fully convinced that He
does not," answered the Scientist. "How

JOURNEYING ONWARD

could God, the only Creator, be conscious
of that of which He is not the author?"

"You do not mean to say," exclaimed
the minister, "that you believe that the
All-knowing knows nothing of our sick-
nesses, pains and sorrows!"

"Yes," answered the girl, "that is what
I believe. c Thou art of purer eyes than to
behold evil! ''God is light and in kim is no
darkness at all,' " — quoting the familiar
verses to him. Feeling that the minister
had a goodly list of questions on hand,
after a moment's thought the Scientist re-
marked in a gentle way: "I would not have
you believe that I am didactic. As you ask
your questions in good faith, I can but an-
swer them; but I can not forbear telling
you that you will find the answers to all
your questions in the Christian Science
text book, 'Science and Health with Key
to the Scriptures! written by Mary Baker
G. Eddy, I have answered your questions
only through the understanding I have
gained by an earnest study of that book."

"I promise to bear that in mind, if you

JOURNEYING ONWARD

will but go on with the conversation. I
am sure you will not refuse to talk with
me if I assure you that I really have a great
desire to gain information regarding a
number of questions," said the minister, in
an appreciative tone. "I believe I was
going to ask you, before you interrupted
me," he went on, eagerly, "Since God
knows everything, why does He not know
sickness?"

Feeling now that the right understand-
ing existed between them, and remember-
ing that happy hour when some one had
lovingly pointed out the way to her, she
hastened to answer:

"You know, love is not conscious of
hate; truth does not know a lie; and light
does not recognize darkness ; so God, who
fills all space, can know nothing but His
own glorious brightness."

"But you cannot tell the sick that God
knows nothing of their pain; the sinner
that God knows nothing of his sin; and the
mourner that God knows nothing of his
loss!"

JOURNEYING ONWARD

"Through the teachings of Christian
Science, we have learned to tell the sick
that God is Love, filling all space, and that
man, as the image of God, is spiritual and
perfect ; that in God man lives, moves and
has his being. Hence, he reflects and
manifests only what is in God — and the
sick are healed. To the sinner, we say,
'Come, learn of God, who knows man only
as His perfect child; learn that sin has no
power to bind man; learn through Chris-
tian Science how to exercise dominion over
sin, to loathe it, and to find that man is
master and not the servant of sin/ '

The minister was listening with great
eagerness, but he noticed that she was
looking at him, yet far beyond him, as she
continued.

"The mourner learns in Christian Sci-
ence, that God is Life, and that Life can-
not cause death. He learns that the heav-
enly Father does not snatch the babe from
its mother's loving arms, nor make the in-
fant fatherless. He learns that joy, hap-
piness, harmony, life and peace are the

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

only real, true, normal conditions of man."

"Do you believe, " interrupted the min-
ister, "that God does not take the babe to
Himself, does not call the father home, — in
fact, that God does not take us from this
sin-sick world to rest and peace?"

"I believe that God is not the author of
death," answered the girl, "that He does
not cause it nor permit it, any more than
the principle of mathematics causes one to
make a mistake in addition."

"Do you want me to believe," exclaimed
the man, "that if this train should be
wrecked, and I should be killed, God
would not take me to His eternal home?"

"Do you think that an accident could
push you into the kingdom of heaven?" re-
turned the Scientist, quietly. "We live in
eternity now; we partake of heavenly
bliss, only as we learn to destroy sickness,
sin and death, in the manner that the dear
Master taught us. Death never trans-
ferred anyone into heaven; for death, you
remember St. Paul said, is an 'enemy/ "

The calm, sweet voice of the talker

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

made him provoked at his own irritability
over the last words he had heard; yet he
could not refrain from begging her to go
on with her explanation.

"People have been taught to say, * Thy
will be done,' " the Scientist continued, in
answer to his question, "and instead of
knowing that God's will is health, har-
mony and eternal life, they think that it is
God's will for them to be on a bed of pain,
and afterwards to be taken from their
loved ones. Does it please God to have
man suffer years of agonizing pain, in
order to prepare him for heaven? or to kill
a man by some inconceivably brutal ac-
cident, in order to usher him into har-
mony? I was amazed and pained the other
day, when I saw a little boy gaze out of
the window, as a funeral procession
was going by. He ran to his mother,
exclaiming, 'Oh, Mama! God has killed
someone else!' The mother looked at
me, horrified to hear her boy express
such a thought. She explained to me,
that, a few days previous, one of her

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

son's little playmates had died, and, of
course, she had told her boy that God had
taken him. How natural it was, then, for
the child to think as he did ! Then again,
I read the other day of a man taking a
quantity of poison, supposing it to be
cough medicine. Afterwards, it ap-
peared in the obituary, 'Whereas it hath
pleased God to take our beloved brother';
yet, within a few weeks, the family
brought a suit against the druggist, for
not labeling the bottles correctly. Can
you not see the utter inconsistency ?"
asked the girl, earnestly.

"It reads in Job, ' The Lord gave, and
the Lord hath taken away! Can you tell
me how Christian Science explains that?"
he said, in reply to her question.

"In proportion as we know God as Life,
Truth, and Love, we receive happiness,
peace and health; while sorrow, discord
and sickness are taken away from us — are
destroyed," said the girl, simply. "As I un-
understand the Bible, now," she continued,
lovingly clasping her Bible in her hand,

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

"I know it does not mean that, because
God gives us life, He therefore claims or
exercises the right to take it from
us at any moment. You must know that
God cannot make a mistake. What He
gives us is given forever and nothing in
the whole universe can take it from us.
You know it says in the Bible: ' Whatso-
ever God doetky it shall be forever; nothing
can be put to it, nor anything taken from
it.' Through Christian Science, I have
been enabled to see that it is only our ig-
norance of God that makes us believe that
we lose health and life ; for the right under-
standing of God proves that man is for-
ever at one with Him, reflecting all that
is in Him and nothing else." Pausing a
moment, she asked, "For what purpose
was Jesus sent into the world ?"

"He came to save sinners; yet, you say
there is no sin!" said the minister, think-
ing now that he was scoring a point.

"Jesus was the way, and we can gain
the right understanding of God only as
we follow in his steps. The Master was

JOURNEYING ONWARD

our highest instructor of Truth. He came
to save us from believing in sin, sickness
and death ; and those who are following in
his steps are destroying these conditions
as he did and are giving God the glory."

"But," interrupted the minister, "do you
Scientists not declare that you heal the
sick?"

"No," she replied, quickly, "God, Truth,
is the only healer of the sick. The Scien-
tist must know the Truth in order that the
manifestation of sickness may be removed.
The Scientist is only the channel through
which the Truth reaches the patient, — as
this pane of glass," she said, tapping the
window at her side, "is the medium
through which the light of the sun
reaches us."

"But," protested the minister, "if God
knows nothing of sickness, how can He
heal it? Surely one cannot destroy that
which he knows nothing about!"

"Understanding does not know ignor-
ance," replied the Scientist, "yet it de-
stroys it; nor does light have to know

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

darkness in •rder that darkness be re-
moved. Darkness cannot exist in the pres-
ence of light; so, sin, sickness and death
cannot remain with one who has gained
the spiritual light, the true understanding
of God."

"I understood you to say, that there is
no sickness," persisted the man.

The girl did not seem at all disturbed
by his persistency, or by his mani-
fested interest, but replied with great pa-
tience to all his questions.

"I admit that sickness seems real to the
sufferer; yet it is not a reality, a truth, a
right or normal condition of man. It is not
real or eternal, because it can be destroyed;
only that exists as a reality which cannot
be destroyed. Black, you know, is not ad-
mitted to be a color, for it reflects no light.
We know that the condition called sick-
ness exists all around us as you say, but
the Truth of God, as revealed to the world
through Mrs. Eddy, removes this condi-
tion, and the real, harmonious i&ci of
health appears in its stead."

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

"Now, do you mind telling me," asked
the minister, "where you are taught
whence sickness comes ?" He was de-
termined to get at the root of the matter.

"Jesus virtually called sickness the work
of the devil," answered the girl, "for,
you remember, he came to 'destroy the
works of the devil! and he very frequent-
ly destroyed sickness."

"But, you believe that there is no devil !"

"The only devil that one may know is
the belief of evil in one's own thought,"
returned the girl, quietly.

"Then do you mean to say, that sick-
ness can be traced back to one's own con-
sciousness?" the minister questioned.

"I have learned," answered the girl,
"that fear, ignorance and sin, promote sin,
sickness and death; that their cause exists
in the human mind, and it has been
proven," she added, positively, "that their
cure is by the divine Mind."

"On what basis do you argue that sin is
the cause of sickness?" pursued the minis-
ter.

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

"You will remember Jesus' words to the
impotent man, ' Sin no more> lest a
worse thing come unto thee;' and to the
sick of the palsy, 'For whether is it easier,
to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say,
Arise and walk ?'"

"Yes," replied the man, thoughtfully,
"but you will remember, too, that Jesus
said, ' They that be whole need not a physician,

but they that are sick! He declared there
that the sick needed a physician, rather
than one to tell them of their sin."

"I am surprised," returned the Scientist,
gently, "that a minister should under-
stand that chapter so little as to neglect
considering Jesus' explanation of those
words ; for in the very next verse he adds,
4 But go ye and learn what that(s2ifmg)meanethy . . .
for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners
to repentance! It is the true physician who
heals the sin as well as the sickness; who
removes the cause, rather than spends his
time in trying to remove the effect. It is
a Christian act to clothe and comfort the
poor; but is it not more Christ-like to heal

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

the disease which causes the poverty?
You may console one who is fearful that
some disease is developing in his system,
yet, is it not more Christ-like to destroy
the fear in that person's thought, thereby
preventing the development of the dis-
ease ?"

"You are bound to meet everyone of my
arguments, aren't you?" laughingly ex-
claimed the minister. "Of course, I can-
not now agree with all that you say; yet,
there seems to be a world of truth in it all,"
he added thoughtfully. "Now I would like
very much to talk with you about prayer.
I have heard so many times that you peo-
ple do not pray — at least, that you do not
pray as we do."

"Which would you think prayed the
more understandingly, the man who be-
sought God to direct him to a climate
that would help him to get rid of
some disease, or the man who had been
enabled to understand God well enough
so that he could live in any climate,
since God is everywhere? the man who

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

trusts the physician to heal him, or the
one who relies absolutely upon God, at-
tributing to Him alone all power?"

"But, we place God behind the physi-
cian !" he exclaimed.

"And we place God before the physi-
cian!*' the girl returned, joyously.

"Yes," the minister said, very thought-
fully, as if the admission cost him some-
thing. "Certainly the results which Chris-
tian Scientists bring out in their own lives,
speak for themselves. But how are you
taught to pray in Christian Science, if you
do not pray as we do ?"

"You see," the girl explained, "you and
I have different conceptions of God."

"Yes, I begin to see that," admitted the
man, good humoredly.

"The 'much magnified man' thought of
God is a thing of the past to us. It says on
page 140 of our Christian Science text
book ' The Christian Science God is universal^
eternal, divine Love, which changeth not
and causeth no evil, disease nor death!
So I am learning through this book, that

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God is an infinite, perfect, changeless
Being, having all power, all knowledge,
and filling all space."

"Do you never think of God as having
personality?" the minister asked.

"Can you limit the Infinite," returned
the girl, "to place or space? God is a liv-
ing Principle, controlling, maintaining
and governing man and the universe, har-
moniously. Some people pray to God for
some desired thing, and immediately won-
der whether they will receive it or not.
They argue with themselves, that it could
not come this way or that, until they are
convinced that it would be impossible for
it to come at all."

The girl paused, but the minister looked
at her to go on.

"Jesus said, ' Have faith that whatsoever
ye ask for in prayer is already granted
you, and it will be yours! This is as it ap-
pears in the Twentieth Century New Test-
ament. Jesus also said, 'All that the
Father hath is mine! Many a man begs
and pleads with God to answer his pray-

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

ers, as a child pleads with his father to
grant a certain request. No prayer uttered
since the world began has ever changed
God, since He is unchangeable, 'the same
yesterday, and to-day and forever! The Chris-
tian Science prayer is a realization of pos-
session, rather than a thought of need.
We are taught to affirm, as children of
God, as heirs of Him, that man
possesses that which God possesses. His
goodness, His abundance, His power,
His strength, His infinite blessings are
ours now. By knowing this, and by
scientifically declaring that their oppo-
sites — sin, poverty, sickness and misery —
are false because they are not in God, and
do not testify of Him; by scientifically un-
derstanding these spiritual truths we
are brought into such a consciousness
of the allness of God that we behold and
receive the manifestations of our desires
or prayers."

"Go on," he said, as the girl hesitated.
"I love to hear you talk. You are a verita-
ble preacher. You have not always had

this idea of God?"

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

The girl shook her head regretfully.
"When I was a child, I used to wonder
how God could ever hear so many prayers.
If a million people were praying at the
same time, for a million different things, I
wondered how He could ever hear them,
let alone answer them!"

"I know you can explain it now," said
the minister, eagerly.

"The principle of mathematics," the girl
replied, "so beautifully illustrates the
Principle of life. Should a million people
sit down at the same time, and call upon
the principle of mathematics to help them
work out a problem, they would find it
ready to help each of them bring about
the correct answer, just as if only one were
using that principle. So it is with us; we
can each bring our problems to the di-
vine Source of all knowledge, whether
they be problems of sickness, sin
or discord; and by applying, through
the teachings of Christian Science, the
correct rules, the right answers or re-
sults are attained. In solving a prob-

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iem in mathematics, should we fail to get
the correct result, we should not sit down
and ask or beseech the principle to help
us; nor should we find fault with the prin-
ciple and rules and seek to change them.
We should know at once that the fault was
wholly within ourselves, that the failure
was occasioned by some mistake in our
work, or because we did not sufficiently
understand the necessary steps."

"Then, do I understand that you do not
ask God for anything, but simply en-
deavor to do the work yourself?" ques-
tioned the minister.

"Jesus said, lI can of mine own self do noth-
ing' God's work is finished. We try to see
so clearly the scientific truth that good fills
all space, that all errors or mistakes go
out of our thought and consequently their
manifestations disappear."

"Yet, I cannot see why you do not ask
for things!" said the man, desiring to be
satisfied.

"You would not sit down at a table filled
with food and beg for something to eat,
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JOURNEYING ONWARD

would you? Nor would you sit in a room
flooded with light, and ask that you might
be able to see?"

"N-o— "

"So," the girl concluded, "we realize that
abundance of blessings is now within our
reach; and instead of longing for them,
and weeping because we think that they
are not ours, we have learned how to par-
take of them."

"Then, you do not put your prayer
thoughts into words?" he pursued, earn-
estly.

"Silently and mentally we commune
with our Father-Mother God," the girl
replied gently. "We do not seek to bring
God to us, but we go to God. We strive
to be in tune, in touch or harmony, with
divine Love, that we may behold the 'fin-
ished work.' This scientific, mental work
leads one heavenward." After a mo-
ment's thought, she went on, "Suppose
that you are in the water and that you pull
on a rope which some one on the shore
throws to you. As you pull on the rope, it

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

might seem to you as if you were bringing
the shore nearer, instead of you draw-
ing nearer the shore. Thus our nearness
to God is wholly due to our drawing nigh
to Him by gaining a better understanding
of Him."

"Yes," assented the man, brightly, "I
certainly understand that." After a pause,
he asked, "What about your failures?"

"As I illustrated in solving mathemati-
cal problems," replied the Scientist,
quickly, "so in our journey Godward.
Should the right result not be immedi-
ately apparent, it is not because God is
wrong, nor because Christian Science is
not true; but because we have either not
been sufficiently obedient, or because we
have not sufficient understanding."

"What do you mean by being 'suffi-
ciently obedient?' " continued the minister,
with interest.

"We have rules given us in the Book of
Life, which we must follow, in order to
attain the desired results in health, har-
mony and happiness; and," she concluded

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earnestly, "we have these rules interpreted
to us so clearly in our text book, 'Science
and Health? that every man, woman and
child can prove, in some degree, their
truth."

"Having that book, you have not much
use for a minister's prayers, have you?"
said the minister, jokingly.

"I used to know a minister," replied the
girl laughingly, "who prayed for nearly
everybody on the face of the earth. He
began with the royal families and the
president and his cabinet, then included all
the sick and sinful in the world, following
with prayers for those listening, and finally
making slight mention of himself. This
never appealed to me, even before I knew
of Christian Science. God does not bless
us according to the length of our petitions;
nor does He bless others upon our request.
We should bless the world to a far greater
extent, if we should think pure, health-
ful and harmonious thoughts. Man
should not presume to instruct God how
to do His work, nor direct Him what to

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do in order to bless this one, or that one.
Since God is omniscient, or all-knowing,
man need never advise Him."

"You would not have me believe that
my prayers for my people, for these thirty
years, have been worthless?" asked the
minister, seriously.

"I can simply tell you what I am learn-
ing myself," returned the girl, gladly,
"that we aid the sick only as we under-
stand and destroy sickness as Jesus did;
that we aid the sinner only as we show
him his dominion over sin. We aid all
mankind only as we send out thoughts of
health, not sickness; of love and harmony,
not of sin and discord; thoughts of life, not
of death."

"I see, I understand," he replied, very
thoughtfully.

"The persistent effort to put thoughts
of hate, malice, jealousy, revenge, lust,
self-righteousness, hypocrisy, and all other
evils, out of the human mind, and to es-
tablish thoughts of love, joy, peace,
purity and meekness, is indeed the

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

unceasing prayer; and it is establish-
ing the kingdom of heaven on earth," con-
cluded the Scientist, confidently.

'Then you find that claiming the pos-
session of all good, as Mrs. Eddy teaches,
you gain more than to ask for it !" he re-
marked, as if to reassure himself.

"I want to tell you a little incident," the
girl said. "In talking with a friend the
other day, she questioned me as to a cer-
tain experience which I had recently. She
heard that I had been in a position of great
danger and had been miraculously saved.
She asked me if I did not pray then to be
delivered safely. I told her I realized that
God's child could not be injured; that
there was no power outside of God, and
that nothing could therefore harm me.
She was amazed as she heard this and
exclaimed, 'How presumptuous! I would
have begged God to protect me!' I asked
her to imagine the son of a king
to be in company with those who
did not recognize him. Would he beg of
them not to injure him? or would he at

36

JOURNEYING ONWARD

once be conscious of his noble birth-rights,
and assert his rights and put to flight
his foes? This argument was new to my
friend, yet I am sure she would admit, that
it caused her to think more deeply on the
subject. ' Whatsoever a man scweth, that
shall he also reap! If we sow thoughts
of fear, anxiety, doubt, discouragement,
sickness, sin and death, we must inevita-
bly reap these in effect. Whereas, if we
sow thoughts directly opposite to these,
they also will be manifested in results. In
Christian Science, the sowing of spiritual
thought is prayer, and the reaping is the
answer."

"Your ideas have opened to me an en-
tirely new line of thought," said the minis-
ter, quietly. "Will you tell me why in
your testimonies of healing, there is no
mention made of the blood of Jesus, which
cleanses us from sin; or of his death on the
cross?"

"I am glad that you mention that," said
the girl, in surprise. "I shall be glad to
help you there. Jesus was the wayshower,

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

the man who above all others lived and
taught the truth. He healed the sick and
sinful, raised the dead, and said, 'He that be-
lieveth on me> the works that I do shall he
do also! Indeed, we are grateful to him,
our example, for the love, compassion
and truth which he manifested for us;
but," she continued, "the mere blood of
Jesus did nothing for mortals, even though
it was shed on the cross; nor has his
human blood ever cleansed one mortal
from sin."

"But," interrupted the minister, "does
not the Bible say that ' The blood of Jesus
Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin?
The Scripture teaches emphatically the
saving efficacy of the blood of Jesus
Christ."

"Christian Science distinguishes be-
tween Christ, the eternal idea of God, 'the
same yesterday \ to-day > and forever! and
Jesus who was born of Mary, and who,
after a time, gave up his mortal selfhood
by ascending to the Father. It dis-
tinguishes between the ' blood of Christ '

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

and the 'blood of Jesus! We understand
the blood of Jesus to have been the same
as the blood of any other mortal, and we
do not think that the blood of Jesus did
anything for the salvation of the world.
But Christian Science teaches that the
Christ is spiritual; that the Christ is the
Truth which heals the sick, casts out evils,
and destroys sin, sickness and death/'

"What do you understand by the 'blood
of Christ'?" questioned the man.

"The 'blood of Christ' is Love, Life,
God; and divine Life, expressed through
Christ, is the Saviour of the world. '/ am
come that ye might have life^ and have it
more abundantly* ! In John's gospel we
read, 'Except ye eat the flesh (that is
Spirit, Truth) of the Son of man, and
drink his blood (that is, Life, Love), ye
have no (true or eternal) life in you! '

"But, I do not yet understand how you
believe sin to be destroyed," continued the
minister.

"Christian Science teaches that sin
is never forgiven until it is destroyed
in the human consciousness and entirely

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

forsaken. The word 'forgive is made up
of two words, 'give* and ' for'. Sin is for-
given only as righteousness and truth are
given for or in place of sin ; and thus sin is
destroyed. We are infinitely grateful to
our dear Master for showing us the way
to eternal happiness, peace and immor-
tality; but wre do not look to his human
personality, nor to his human blood. We
look rather to his life, his deeds, his ex-
ample. And likewise, we are grateful to
that dear woman, who has shown a sin-
laden wrorld how Jesus healed the sick,
cast out devils and raised the dead."

"There it is again!" said the minister,
though in a very kind manner. "The Sci-
entists can never talk about Christian
Science without mentioning Mrs. Eddy.
Though, after all, I do not wonder so much,
if from her you learn all these wonderful
things which you have been telling me
about."

"You would not expound the Sermon
on the Mount to a layman without telling
him that Jesus delivered it, would you?

40

JOURNEYING ONWARD

Nor would you tell him about the Ten
Commandments and omit to mention that
Moses wrote them?"

"No," the minister answered, "indeed I
would not. I must say," he admitted, as
though he knew it to be a fact, "that
Christian Scientists always have an ex-
tensive knowledge of the Bible. Were
you always a Bible student?"

"No, indeed, I must admit, I was not,"
the girl replied. "I presume that I had
not read a dozen chapters in the Bible in
my whole life, until I came into Christian
Science. I had often picked up the Bible
to read it, but somehow it always appeared
so much like a history-book to me — and
I never did enjoy history," she added, with
a decided nod of the head. "It made me
feel sorrowful when I read, or heard read,
all those beautiful works of Jesus and be-
lieved that they could never be repeated.
And what a joy, when I found out
that every word which Jesus uttered is
practical now! Indeed, I read my Bible
every day. I would not feel that I could

41

JOURNEYING ONWARD

begin my day's work without it. Mrs.
Eddy has opened the Scriptures for us, and
for that alone we owe her endless grati-
tude. Our hearts pulsate with love and
thankfulness, as we think of the toil, sacri-
fices and hardships she has suffered for
humanity's sake. She has been so mis-
understood, and, yes — cruelly and wicked-
ly maligned."

"But," interrupted the minister, "I
should think that one so spiritual would
be protected by the Almighty, and would
be loved and honored by all."

"Do you forget," replied the girl, "that
even Jesus, that great exemplar of good-
ness, was persecuted from city to city and
crucified? He was denied, betrayed and
deserted by the very ones whom he had
toiled so hard to bless."

"I am glad that you told me that," re-
plied the minister, thoughtfully. "I don't
see why I never thought of it in that light
before. I know that you will give me the
scolding I deserve," he remarked hesitat-
ingly, "when I tell you, that I have ofter

42

JOURNEYLNG ONWARD

thought of looking into Christian Science
to see how all your fruits are made pos-
sible; but something always holds me back
when I think of a woman, instead of a man,
being at the head of it."

He might have been mistaken, yet he
thought that a pained expression seemed
to rest on her face for a brief moment.
Looking thoughtfully at him, she said
slowly:

"Imagine yourself in a dungeon, dark,
dismal, barren; yourself, cold, hungry, and
wretched, bereft of all that makes life
sweet. As you sit alone in pain and help-
lessness, want and woe, you notice that the
door which opens out of your dungeon is
locked, bolted and secured in almost a
hundred places ; so intricate are its fasten-
ings* y°u are positive that you could never
undo them all; and even as you make an
attempt, you find your misery increased by
despair. As you stand thus helpless — so
alone — with the pangs of hunger, thirst
and death staring you in the face, suddenly
you are conscious of some one telling you

43

JOURNEYING ONWARD

that there is a way out, — a way to open the
door and escape from the doom of death,
and a way to find food, drink and joy with-
out. You listen with heart-throbbing in-
terest, as you hear that a woman has been
in this same dungeon, and has found a
way out; that she opened the door and
found, Oh! such boundless freedom; and
that she has left directions for opening the
door for others. Even as you listen, you
look around your dark and death-like cell
again, and your hunger and thirst grow
greater. You hear of the food, drink and
shelter promised you, if you will but fol-
low the directions given. Can it, oh, can
it be true! You desperately decide to
follow, no matter how tedious the work
may be ; but even as you start to obey, you
remember with sharp regret — it was a
woman who first opened the door! You
would be following the teachings of a
woman, were you to obey the directions
given you. You sit down on the cold floor
to think. If it only were a man, how

44

JOURNEYING ONWARD

gladly you would make the attempt, but
you could not — no, you could not obey the
teachings of a woman, even though you
were sure that it would bring the long de-
sired freedom !"

The girl had turned her face away
while she was talking, and now, as she
turned slowly toward him, she saw that
she had answered his question. His man-
ner was humble and his voice very low as
he said: "The way you have spoken humili-
ates me in my own eyes. May I ask you to
interpret, in your way, that little story of
yours. I almost know what you will say,
but I want to hear it."

There was no mistaking now the glad
light in the girl's eyes, as she continued:

"The dungeon is the dark, despairing
thought of mortals, when all earthly props
have been wrested from us, and only the
door of death seems open to us. The door
to health may be barred by material laws
without number; the door to peace and
happiness — Alas ! We dare not think what
stands between us and that which we de-

45

JOURNEYING ONWARD

aire! As we are in this settled gloom,
some one tells us that there is a key
to all these locks and barriers which sep-
arate us from our freedom; tells us of
one who was so pure, so unselfish, so at-
tuned to divine Love that she had found
her way out of just such despairing dark-
ness; and, more than that, that she has
shown the way to others in order that they
too may partake of this spiritual food,
drink from this living fountain, and find
health and peace."

"And you would add," interrupted the
minister, as if to himself, "that there are
people who choose their misery, their ar-
rogance and pride, rather than use the key,
because the door has been opened by a wo-
man."

The young girl continued: "And after
one had followed that dear woman, and
through her teachings had unbarred the
door of his dungeon and found God's own
freedom without — could he, could you>
journey from this darkness to light, from
suffering to peace, from ignorance to un-

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

derstanding, without even a 'thank you'
to her who had shown the way?"

"Your little story has touched and hum-
bled me," said the man. "One would cer-
tainly be an ingrate who could refrain
from giving thanks to such an one, be it
man or woman. I cannot begin to tell you
what your last few words have meant to
me. My very first purchase, when I leave
this train shall be a copy of Mrs. Eddy's
book, 'Science and Health.' I shall read it
gladly and I must confess in a much hum-
bler attitude than I ever dreamed that I
could reach. Your talk with me has given
me a great desire to get this book, and find
out how all these things of which you have
told me are possible; and I believe you,
when you say, that one must find out from
your text book. I can never thank you
enough for your wonderful kindness and
patience. The time has flown so rapidly,
that I have not realized the hours which
we have spent in talking. I see that I
am nearing my destination, and must now
leave you," he said, rising, as the train

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JOURNEYING ONWARD

stopped. "I shall never forget your help-
ful words and I know that we shall meet
again."

Looking into her face, he clasped her
hand warmly, lifted his hat, and stepped
from the train.

The girl leaned back in her seat, re-
joicing, because another hungry heart
would now seek the Christ Truth and en-
ter the true path to the "way of life."

JUL 8 BOB

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