What shall I do with my life?

Following the end of World War II, John Wyndham returned to his family in Australia. His war experience had changed him and he writes that he "waited for some new idea" regarding his future employment (p. 74).

I love the three ideas that emerged, and which he grabbed with heart and soul and energy. This is what he tells us came to him: 

1. "You will be happy only if you satisfy your inner craving for beauty" (ibid).
Acting on this, he set to work beautifying his surroundings in every way possible. At this point he comments that "It appears to be a law that if we improve what we have to the utmost, we inevitably rise to higher achievements" (p. 75). 

2. "Whatever you do must bless others and beautify their lives" (ibid).

3. "You must do the thing you love to do most to be really successful" (ibid).

Following up vigorously on these ideas, he was soon led to a particular line of business where his understanding of Christian Science was to bless many others besides himself and his family. He titles Chapter five in his book: "Payday and ethics" and here he offers wonderful examples of urgent business needs being met in unexpected ways.

Here, Wyndham quotes a particularly helpful passage from the writings of Mary Baker Eddy (Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896, p. 306):

The psalmist saith: 'He shall give His angels charge over thee.' God gives you His spiritual ideas, and in turn, they give you daily supplies. Never ask for to-morrow: it is enough that divine Love is an ever-present help; and if you wait, never doubting, you will have all you need every moment.

I am sure many others have read about John Wyndham's experiences (I offer myself as an example) and have been able to put the principles behind his reasoning into practice for themselves, so that countless others have been, and will continue to be, blessed. 

Julie Swannell

A life-saving instruction

Although this reader has never experienced either prison or war, John Wyndham's story resonates with me. As he writes of his captivity and solitary confinement, his intelligent reasoning and guilelessness shine through as an outstanding example for thinkers in 2018. 

Faced with the prospect of imminent execution, John fell on his knees. He writes (p. 16): Hope and a feeling of God's presence came as this prayer brought an immediate and clear direction. As if someone had spoken the words, there came the command, "Control thought".  From then on, resentment, hatred, despair, and fear were barred from his thinking. The liberating understanding of God as Love was dawning, and was washing away an abiding self-analysis of unworthiness. His conviction in God's saving grace grew too, and with it, hope for a way out. His thinking was being transformed and it would save his life.

Today, the term 'critical thinking' is used to denote a logical, unbiased, well-reasoned method of determining a situation. It involves thorough analysis and questioning; looking at a situation from all sides rather than from a self-centred or a particular group perspective. It is based on the Socratic method of questions and answers. (See, for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnJ1bqXUnIM). 

There are similarities between what Wyndham advocates and what a 'critical thinker' does. (Note that critical thinking has NOTHING to do with criticising anyone!). For instance, on page 29 he writes: Isn't much of our so-called thinking just reacting to impressions or suggestions, making assumptions, or merely mulling over problems and difficulties?

But Wyndham turns to the Bible rather than the philosophers for instruction in how to think. He has the reader consider Philippians 4:8 -

...whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

The Message (Eugene Peterson) paraphrases it as:

...you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious--the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. 

Now that is something to think on because by literally putting that instruction into practice, he was able to survive a week without food with no ill effect and was soon released from solitary confinement and probable execution. (See page 26.) It saved his life (p. 27). 

Julie Swannell

Three Johns - three great men

The Ultimate Freedom - John H. Wyndham

What a wonderful example John Wyndham is of living, to the best of one's ability, “the life that would express the highest type of Christianity” (page 57); in his case under prisoner-of-war conditions in Java during the Second World War!

There are a couple of notable quotes through the book:

1.     Control thought – the inspiration gained through this Christly message is the foundation on which the book built.

2.     Do we think, or just think we think?

3.     There are three things God will not let you have. They are sin, sickness and death.

4.     You can have all the rest!

Anyone who has endeavoured to follow John's example of controlling thought (which is in effect to follow Jesus' example – see, for instance, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures 476:32-2) will know what a challenge this is to humans.

And he was able to do this in his initial solitary confinement, and even without food for a week at one period. There was no possible help other than God, divine Mind, which he knew was the only mind, therefore his mind.

I am reminded of John at Patmos (Revelation in the Bible) and John Bunyan (Pilgrim's Progress), and I feel that John Wyndham is worthy of a place in their tradition.

John Bunyan (1628-1688), author of Pilgrim's Progress, was a nonconformist preacher and pastor of the Bedford Free Church Meeting, and was imprisoned for 12 years for that nonconformity. This is when he wrote his masterpiece. It is interesting that he is revered by the Church of England, his former rival. 

Wikipedia notes that many authors have been influenced by Bunyan, including Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, Charles Dickens, Louisa May Alcott and George Shaw. Interestingly, I can find no reference to John Bunyan or his great work in Mary Baker Eddy's writings. Note to myself: You must read that book. In my youth it seemed to be too hard for me to understand. I think there were probably excerpts from the book in our School Reader.

One can see from Mary Baker Eddy's experience in discovering Christian Science, that she had been in figurative captivity to the belief that man is in bondage to the material senses, the belief that “the body governed [her] rather than Mind” - see Science and Health pages 226-227. In gaining the understanding of man's relationship to God which freed her, she has in that work set down the rules by which we can all be freed. This is the understanding which John Wyndham demonstrated over and over again, for he was a student of Christian Science.

John Wyndham's recounting of a prisoner-of-war Christmas story is very dear. The Commandant paid with his own money for the large quantities of fruit which John had requested that he might buy from the people in the countryside, with money contributed by the prisoners. The Commandant explained his remarkable act: “Kismis, Kismis” he said with a broad grin on his face. John's request had included an explanation of the spirit of Christmas.

Even more precious is the Anzac Day story. The prisoners were Australian, and they were rather depressed when Anzac Day was coming around. John was prompted to request that the camp bugler may be permitted to play the Last Post at 11 am on that day. My! How John prayed his way through that war! He felt he was proving that Christianity is the right way of living and acting. The Last Post was played, with all the prisoners standing to attention for a full minute. And, every guard stood to attention with them! John writes, “During that one minute legions of angels ministered to us I felt” (page 59).

In the early years of the war, John, who was raised in Holland, wrote in his diary a prediction on the future of what was then the Dutch East Indies after the war. He foresaw the end of the three hundred and fifty years of Dutch colonisation (and virtual slavery of the people). And so it was proved, with the establishment of the nation of Indonesia.

On the Internet (Historical Christian Science Lectures) I found a recording of John Wyndham's lecture Do We Think or Just Think We Think? This was recorded in New York in the 1960s, an actual recording of his voice with its Dutch overtones. Our book, The Ultimate Freedom, puts into print what he has recorded in his lecture.

Joyce Voysey

Are you thinking?

Our book this month, The Ultimate Freedom, is by John Wyndham. 

This is a precious volume which is sure to leave its mark on every reader.


One Amazon reviewer wrote this: in December 2014

"Are you thinking? Or do you just think you're thinking?"  

This handy little self-interrogative is going to stick with me.


Happy reading everyone.