At the time of the Saviour's birth, the shepherds, watching their flocks on the Judæan hillsides, heard the angelic message, "Fear not for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people"—and the heavenly host, uniting in the strain, sang, "On earth peace, good will toward men."
Thus is the advent of the spiritual idea ever heralded, as it comes afresh to human thought. Its salutation is ever, "Peace," for it is the angel message, the spiritual intuition, directly from the fount of infinite Love. It is the rising of the Sun of Righteousness that comes with healing in its wings, and its benign and holy influence rests like a benediction upon every waiting and receptive thought. It is the true idea of being, the only begotten son, that testifies always to the reign of omnipotent Spirit, the good, in which matter and evil have no place nor part. Such is the divine birthright of man as the child of the Eternal, and it includes freedom and dominion, strength and peace unalloyed.
Christian Science, in these latter days, is bringing out the true significance of the covenant that was established with the patriarchs of old, but which was so mistakenly interpreted by them. The promised inheritance, to outward sense, was only a tract of land which was to be their permanent home, but this was typical of man's eternal heritage of spirituality, abounding in the peace and plenty of the heavenly kingdom that is always at hand, because it is the domain of omnipresent Spirit. According to that ancient covenant, the fathers were to inherit the land of promise,—they and their children after them, forever. But it was stipulated that they were to possess and enjoy their inheritance, "after they had driven out the inhabitants thereof." The five nations then in possession of the land were to be dislodged and dispersed, before the children of Israel could enter into full ownership and dominion in their promised country. To carry the analogy into the realm of Mind, these five nations represent the five physical senses, with all their attendant conditions, which, according to mortal belief, have entered a claim upon man's rightful inheritance, and are disputing his title thereto.
