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March 1027
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
In her comment on Genesis 2 :13, which verse reads: “And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia,” the word Gihon means, Mrs. Eddy says : “The rights of woman ac knowledged, morally, civilly, and socially” (p. 587). Of course, in the original Hebrew the word Gihon does not mean anything of the kind. It is the name of a river. But for the sake of argument we will assume that it does, and see what this meaning produces. Immediately the stu dent of political science finds himself wondering why, away back in the very dawn of human history, it was found necessary to start this agitation for woman’s rights. For at the time this agitation is first introduced by the word of Gihon, woman herself has not yet been created. She does not make her appearance in this account of cre ation until the twenty-second verse. It does impress one as a little unnecessarily premature to start a campaign for the recognition ¡of woman’s rights'before she has come into existence. Quoting Revelation 10:1, 2, in which are these words: “And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, * * * and he had in his hand a little book open,” Mrs. Eddy says: “This angel had in his hand ‘a little book’ open for all to read and understand. Did this same book contain the revelation of divine Science ? * * * Mortals, obey the heavenly evangel. Take divine Science. Read this book from beginning to end. Study it, ponder it” (p. 559). The greatest objection in the way of obeying this com mand of Mrs. Eddy lies in the fact that this particular “little book” was not made to be read, but to be eaten. And that, not by all, but solely for the consumption of the writer of the book of Revelation. For in the ninth and tenth verses the writer says: “I went unto the angel and said unto him, Give me the. little book. And he Said unto me, Take it and eat it up. * * * And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up.” Thus endeth the short career of this little book. If it did; “contain the revelation of divine Science,” then the writer of the book of Revelation was the first person who literally swallowed this kind of teaching, and his subsequent prophecies should give some evidence of its presence. Yet one can search the remaining chapters of this book and never find a single hint of Mrs. Eddy’s fun damental teaching. It is certain that she did not get her “revelation” from this little book; for already more than twenty editions of her “revelation” had been published before even she discovered that it contained the revelation of divine Science. Sm a ll B eg inn ings Oh, don’t despise the day of small beginnings! Think of that ship in which Paul went to Philippi (Acts 16:9- 15). It was the Gospel’s first touch on the soil of Europe. In that continent Christianity was destined to win its greatest victories. In that ship were the seeds of all that has developed in Europe. In a quiet spot on a river bank, an epoch-making meeting took place. The church of Europe originated in a women’s prayer meeting. The “man of Macedonia” turned out to be a woman. Take heart. Obey the vision, though you do not presently see the fruit. On the shores of eternity you may meet a mul titude who have seen the light you hung up.
God-Fearing Mothers “Fashions in mothers have changed, but not fo r the worse!” This is the opinion (published in the Chicago Daily Tribune a few days ago) of Professor Ruth Andrus of the Institute of Child Welfare Research at Columbia University, who recently addressed the Chicago Associa tion for Child Study and Parent Education: “I f the modern bob-haired mother, with, her short skirt and hint o f rogue, who loves to dance a bit and smoke and have a good time, is in any way less well fitted to take care o f her children properly, science has failed to discover it,” Professor Andrus said. “W hether the old fashioned mother, w ith the child tied to her apron string, in a home where a drink is a crime and cigaret smoke hell fire, has' a better chance than the modern mother to train the child in the' way he should go is much to be doubted.” It would not be fitting for most of us humble citizens, says Moody Church Herald of Chicago, to express a fixed opinion absolutely contrary to that held by one represent ing so famous an educational institution as Columbia Uni versity. Because of her personality arid position the pro fessor is bound to exercise a tremendous influence over the youth of our day and those who, are interested in young people. Her prestige is enviable. Her message is appeal ing ; we do not deny it—we lament it. And we honestly doubt whether the mothers of today whose picture she paints in such flashing colors can be fairly compared with that group of women which she designates as “old- fashioned.” Actually they have very little in common. The professor has evidently overlooked an important fac tor in the “old-fashioned” home which distinguishes it clearly from the one which she praises. For in the major ity of homes where “drink is a crime and cigaret smoke Is hell fire” there is a praying, God-honoring mother or father and frequently both. Whether that home be long established or newly founded, or merely a memory of other days, whether its leaders be mature or juvenile or departed, we heartily resent the bold insinuation that faith in God and adherence to the moral and ethical principles which have successfully guided men for centuries brand one as inferior. “W h y should a child ‘mind’?” the professor challenges. There are a thousand reasons why he should. Police sta tions and detention homes in every city in America reply eloquently, to this pointed question, furnishing tangible evidence of lack of respect for home, national and divine law. Broken homes, tear-stained faces, blasted lives add their mute appeal. God meant what He said when He commanded, “Train up a child in the way he should go,” and the result is sure; “when he is old he will not depart from it.” The rule still holds. Daniel Webster recognized it when he declared: “If we work upon marble, it will perish; if we work upon brass, time will efface it ;• .if we rear temples, they will crumble into dust; but if we work upon immortal souls, if we imbue them with principles, with the just fear of God, and the love of fellow men, we engrave on those tablets something which will brighten all eternity.” ■^'4. ^fe. Ife a» D eligh tfu l Specimens o f Interpretation Dr. A. C. Wychoff in his book on Christian Science points out some delightfully interesting specimens of what he terms “nonsense interpretation” found in the writings of Mrs. Eddy. Here are some samples:
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