ONE who appreciates the value of accuracy and honesty in thought and in speech, finds rich resources in studying the derivation of words. Not satisfied to know their current modern acceptation, he searches to discover their source, and the development or accident through which they have passed from their origin to their present use. If the derivation has been conformable with the tendency of a noble root-thought, he finds that a word has increased in richness and power in the development —the unfolding in experience—of that original signification. If the derivation has been false, has counterfeited such tendency; if the meaning has degenerated instead of developed, he finds over and again that the present use records mortal vagary, folly, sin.
The old Greek word biblia, for example, equivalent to our word book, has in its development come to us as Bible. The tendency of that root-thought toward wisdom and instruction, beauty, poetry, finally became identified, in English and in certain other languages, with the infinite wisdom of God as given to man through that one Book whose inspiration is unquestioningly accepted by all Christians.
Animosity has had a different history. Unmistakably evident is the deterioration from its early signification of courage, bravery, to its present meaning of active hatred. The Latin root animus signified spirit, mind, life; but mankind so little understood the essential nature of that quality, associated it so closely with corporeality, that they came easily to apply the word to that so-called animal impulse or vitality which Christian Science explains as error, nothingness. In the light of scientific explanation, it becomes clear that the present meaning is consequent to the false sense of life as physical, though it has grievously deteriorated from the original intention and is utterly apart from the self-existent Life which is Spirit.
