Friday, April 9, 2010

C.S. Schnorrer [Mis]Management and Real Estate

I was at work on my next entry when the Mercury (Winged Messenger) of Andrew Hartsook's latest "Banner" (Spring 2010) rumbled into my study like a freight train, temporarily diverting my little choo-choo onto a siding. Just when some readers may have thought my last entry about the periodical situation in Bean Town was a bit too caustic, this newsletter arrives. I cannot urge too strongly that all sympathetic readers of this blog obtain it posthaste, if they haven't seen it already.


The Banner's inditing of the MC BOD's returning again and again to their vomit confirms much of what I have written over the past couple of years. The Board--individually and collectively--is too all appearances wandering helplessly and hopelessly in the stygian darkness of moral and spiritual idiocy. Any light by which they might have seen the saving compass of Christ and Christian Science and been led out was obviously snuffed out years ago.


The following question appears at the end of the first paragraph of Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress": "What shall I do?" He later expands it to the more significant: "What shall I do to be saved?" As each of us navigates through the treacherous shoals, reefs, sand bars, and submerged wreckage of mortal mind and aggressive mental suggestion, he may need to ask the same questions. For me, one answer is that I must become a better example for mankind and for "honest seekers for Truth". It therefore seems only right that I should not be a party to any activity--church or otherwise--which is not scrupulously obedient to the Church Manual (letter and spirit) and the demands of Christian Science. This means refusing to support with my money or services any activity or church which violates these standards. Simply going along (compromising) with wrong-doing in order to get along in dishonest amity with fellow church members or my neighbor is disloyalty to God and my Leader.

The blessings which can result from being truthful to one's beliefs is beautifully illustrated in an article by Raymond L. Cox in the Salvation Army's "War Cry", which was exerpted in "Signs of theTimes" in the September 21, 1957, Sentinel [Remember when they were a pleasure to read?]. During the Civil War a Christian soldier, obviously in both senses, aroused the antagonism of his tent mates because every night before going to bed in his cot he would kneel in prayer at its side. Ongoing abusive language eventually led to physical violence, and he was advised by his chaplain that it might be wise to pray in bed. He started to do so one night, but his conscience was uneasy with this compromise of his principles. He then climbed out of his cot and resolved to resume his habit of kneeling in prayer, preferring "prayer with persecution to peace without it". In a few months his companion's hearts were touched and their spiritual interests awakened. "Eventually all of them began to kneel nightly in prayer with him."

The article continued: "Never ought a Christian to compromise his conscience or convictions. No advantage is likely to be gained by striking one's spiritual colors. Jesus commanded, 'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.' Some are sure to try to extinguish the light. . . . In spite of unfavorable reactions, Christians should never haul down their standard. Surely the prize is worth the price!" Very well said, and most of the non-quoted material also uses Mr. Cox's wording. In the words of the famous Pete Seeger labor song: "Which side are you on?"

Note: A reader recently asked my opinion of the current Sentinel. This and certainly the previous entry should give a pretty clear answer. I haven't read the Sentinel for a good 15 years and maybe more and may have seen only a half dozen copies during that period. It needs in my opinion to be handled with fireplace tongs, which is obviously a nuisance.

23 comments:

A heartfelt thanks! said...

You've reached sublime heights in this one, Christian. (And that excerpt from The War Cry was wonderfully uplifting!)

Anonymous said...

While I admire your persistence in highlighting the shortcomings of the officials in Boston, it is my opinion that they are too far gone into moral idiocy to benefit from what you are saying. And no doubt they are aware of your blog.
So very sad.

Practitioner (FL) said...

You seem to be a person of conscience and this is why I read your blog posts. No, we cannot suport what is going on in Boston, and I do not.
God bless you,

West Coast CS said...

My copy of THe Banner came today and I thought I couldn't be more shocked at what's going on. I was. Feel so sorry for the teachers who had to sit through that sickening performance.

Stephen said...

A keeper. One of your best!

W. R. said...

I'm so grateful you posted this. Quite inspiring. No matter what happens at HQ, we have the Holy Bible and our Leader's writings which no one can touch.

Not far from Boston said...

Blessings upon you for tackling tough subjects like this, and for being so true to what Jesus teaches and Christian Science tells us is right. We just cannot lower our standard and many of us stand with you in denouncing this willful wickedness going on.

Ft. Lauderdale said...

Simply wonderful. The job you are doing! We need this blog more than we ever have, and you must keep at it.

Anonymous said...

I found this particular essay extremely uplifting, and as to whose side the readers of your website are on, God's side! If only our periodicals were as they used to be, as our Leader under God's direction, gave them to the world.

Anonymous said...

Dear Christian,
Thank you for holding the banner high. I read the latest issue of The Banner and it occurs to me that your readers who wish to read about that disgusting meeting with the teachers in Boston may be able to obtain a copy by writing to: Andrew Hartsook, 2040 Hazel Avenue, Zanesville, OH 4370l.

Cambridge said...

That experience you gave which Mr. Cox had, oh did that inspire me. If only more Christian Scientists had been acting likewise, I feel we wouldn't be seeing such deterioration of our church. And those teachers have scarecely put right above their own selfish interests in my opinion.

Grateful reader said...

The Broken Net and The Banner -- lights in darkness. God supported for sure.

CS - England said...

I think a previous commenter mentioned it's useless trying to get the Directors to change. That they could trash the great woman whose discovery gives them their salary would be incomprehensible except for this: they have gone into such spiritual darkness they no longer know right from wrong.

Fellow traveler said...

I have a suggestion. Since you are obviously a friend of Mr. Hartsook, would he give his permission for you to do a blog showing that report of the teachers' meeting? It would be a real service to those of your readers who might not be able to see a copy of The Banner.

Denver, CO said...

My thought is, as long as we have access to God's Word in the Holy Scriptures and in Mrs. Eddy's writings, why worry about what mere mortals do? They won't last forever, and will someday have to square what they've done, with God.

Denver, CO said...

My thought is, as long as we have access to God's Word in the Holy Scriptures and in Mrs. Eddy's writings, why worry about what mere mortals do? They won't last forever, and will someday have to square what they've done, with God.

Anonymous said...

I second FELLOW TRAVELER's request.


Why is the criticism of alleged nefarious activities as veiled as the alleged nefarious activities themselves?

Anonymous said...

Extremely interesting blog post. Thanks for updating us on things in Boston,
Shame on them!

Make clear comments, please said...

That comment seconding fellow traveler's comment needs translation. I couldn't make heads nor tails of what that individual was trying to say!

Practitioner (New England) said...

I couldn't agree more, blogger. The officials in MA went over to the dark side years ago. But how they can sink deeper than denigrating Mary Baker Eddy, and being ashamed to call themselves a Christian (one of them, that is) is surely the last rung on the way down.

Nancy said...

Is this the Hartsook article you refer to? http://www.christianscience.org/maryfrancis.pdf

Or is it so recent that it isn't yet online?

I'd like to see it.

Anonymous said...

Not sure why you're wasting your talents on an issue that's been over and done with for years. Far too many at the higher levels of our church headed for the tall grass when they should have been speaking out. If you had been sitting in that meeting mentioned by Hartsook, would you have kept your seat?

Anonymous said...

Well, as someone at the receiving end of a CS 'treatment', I hope you are alive and have not succumbed to the 'designs' of the Boston mental assassins! These vampire put Scientologists to shame, preying & psychically raping members of the community so that they can make new members and are patted on the back by the illegitimate Boston POPES! If you want to see the abomination of desolation visit any UK church - they are totally infested by malpractitioners/black 'occultists' - their main aim is money, prestige and be seen in a good light by the Boston 'elite'/Vatican!! And should you still be alive, and as you claimed loved the truth, you should be ashamed of succumbing to the pressure to be silent and not exposed this EVIL!