Editorials

NO other occurrence in all human history has so influenced the course of subsequent events as has the birth of a babe in the recess of a stable yard nineteen centuries ago, "in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king;" no other event has wrought such important changes in the thoughts of men and in their modes of life. The brief career of the humble Nazarene left an indelible stamp upon civilization which becomes increasingly apparent with the passage of the years.

THE word "goodness" includes within the range of its meaning such terms as virtue, benevolence, the state of being good, and excludes all conditions of thought which are the opposite of good, or evil. Like many another term in general use, everybody knows what it means; for they have grown up with it, so to speak.

THAT God, divine Mind, is the all and only power is a truth that mortals seem very slow to grasp. Ever since the lie of the serpent, "Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil," was first uttered, the belief of more than one power, of more than one Mind, has been almost universally accepted.

ON page 107 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy states that the Christ Science which she discovered in 1866 is the "divine laws of Life, Truth, and Love.

There is, perhaps, no question which knocks at the mental door of the Christian Scientist more frequently, or more insistently, than the one which involves the letting go of our brother. In many human relationships there has appeared to be so strong a sense of ownership, of personal possession one of another, that it seems to take many and varied lessons before one learns how to think and act towards others in a perfectly Christian and scientific manner.

Obedience always presupposes authority; and obedience is either willing or unwilling according as to whether or not the authority is respected. The prisoner obeys the regulations of the prison approved by the state, but he may do so with reluctance.

The symbolization of good and evil by a tree is a common figure in Biblical literature. Of the fruit of all trees which grew in the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were allowed to eat with the exception of that which grew upon the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

EXISTENCE is bound to remain an enigma without an understanding of God and His creation. The questions, Whence came I? What am I? and, Whither do I go? will remain unanswered until one has obtained the solution of the question.

WITHOUT a certain standard, established by authority, custom, or general consent as a model or example, there would appear to be nothing whereby to test, examine, or judge any thought, word, or deed. In our human relationships and experiences there are multitudes of such standards, and mankind as a whole is generally willing to accept in each individual case that standard which is supposed to represent the highest point of excellence.

ON page 269 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy makes a statement which sets forth the fundamentals of scientific practice and lifts its problems into a mental atmosphere.