THE trend of all merely human thought is downward. At its best it needs correction, and for such correction it must needs look to a higher source than itself. The human mind is not its own savior. If left to follow its own inclinations, it would drift farther and farther away from the source of its salvation. There comes the time, however, in the experience of every human being, when this so-called mind can no longer pursue its downward course, when it must surrender unconditionally to the demand of Soul: "Acquaint now thyself with him [God], and be at peace." In order to make this surrender, however, it must undergo a certain corrective process before it can learn obedience to the divine law and order.
Job must have grasped the thought that it was useless to look to any other source than the divine for such correction when he said, "Happy is the man whom God correcteth." Conversely it can be said, Unhappy is the man who looks to the human mind for correction. Many of earth's heartaches and pains are the direct results of trying to correct one error with some other form of error, — of trying to harmonize various discordant conditions without appealing directly to the Principle of all harmony. Ignorance, superstition, prejudice, and pride play a conspicuous part in holding mortals in the shackles of the uncorrected human mind. Did they but realize their need of divine help at all times, and turn to the one Mind instead of to inert matter for it, their opportunities for helping themselves and others would increase a hundredfold. Many know what Christian Science claims to accomplish, and what it has brought to pass in numerous instances that have come under their personal observation, yet they are unwilling to look to it for their own help. Such is the perversity of human nature, and so will it continue to be until the desire for spiritual gain overbalances the tendency to find good in matter, and the pride of power and of circumstance gives way to childlike humility, sincerity, and honesty.
The sooner the lesson is learned that God is man's only Saviour, not only from one form of error or evil but from every form of evil, the sooner will the kingdom of heaven be established on earth. The divine corrective offers a full and complete salvation to mortals. It is line upon line and precept upon precept until the last vestige of error surrenders to the supremacy of the one pure Mind. Obedience to the divine demand, Be ye perfect, is the only possible way of shortening the period of correction. It means to travel in the strait and narrow way of Soul. If mortals are seeking a short route, this is it, and it will appear shorter to them when they surrender lovingly to the divine demand and learn that the yoke is easy and the burden light; while to those who rebel against the divine government, and thereby make hard work for themselves, the way seems long and dreary.
