Editorials

" What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" It is possible that many may have interpreted David's question as relating to mortal man. They may have believed that the Lord God, to whom his question was addressed, was directly or indirectly responsible for mortal man's existence.

Demands upon one's time and attention are varied and pressing, legitimate and illegitimate. Which demands should be yielded to and which resisted is a question constantly facing us as Christian Scientists.

When John the Baptist was in doubt as to whether or not Christ Jesus was the promised Messiah, he sent two of his disciples to inquire of him. Jesus implied that he was, and to substantiate this he told of the miracles he had performed.

Genuine encouragement springs from faith in the right, and when it is unremittingly sought in the harmony of infinite Mind this encouragement is unfailingly found. But, someone may ask, if one seems to be facing difficulties and sees no reason to feel encouraged, why not give in to discouragement? Christian Science replies that there is always reason for encouragement.

Prophecy is often spoken of as though it related solely to the foretelling of coming events—frequently those of an evil nature—and a prophet is therefore regarded as one who is capable of predicting or forecasting these events. However, there is a much higher and more spiritual meaning of the words "prophet" and "prophecy," and this is indicated in the definition of "prophet" given by Webster, which is, in part, as follows: "One who speaks for another, especially for God;.

How wonderfully did the Hebrew seers of old sense the goodness of God! The Psalmist says in the one hundred and nineteenth Psalm, "Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes;" and in the one hundred and forty-fifth are the words, "The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. " In testifying to the goodness of God how closely do their words correspond in meaning with the saying of Jesus, the great demonstrator of Truth and Love, when he sent out his twelve disciples on their mission of healing and said to them: "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father" ( Matthew 10:29 ).

All Christians agree that God is Supreme Being. Indeed, God is so generally acknowledged to be the supreme, infinite, governing power that we find part of the definition of God in Webster's International Dictionary to be, "The Supreme Being; the eternal and infinite Spirit, Creator and Sovereign of the universe.

The answer to the heart's question whether life is worth living varies in veracity and value according to the individual outlook. When circumstances appear to favor the human sense of happiness and prosperity, life is thought of as well worth living, and strenuous efforts are made to get the most out of it.

Before gaining an understanding of Christian Science we may have regarded creation as almost altogether material. We may have thought that it consisted of the planet which we call the earth, with the substances which compose it and the plants and animals, including mortal man, which appear to live on its surface, and of the other planets and stars and nebulae in space.

SPIRITUAL understanding banishes mortal misunderstanding and establishes the basis for stable health, happiness, and prosperity. Underlying all impoverishment and distress of mind and body is the lack of understanding God and His creation, and from this lack and its consequences Christian Science stands ready to rescue one and all.