"No personal habit," says Huxley, "more surely degrades the conscience and the intellect than blind and unhesitating obedience to unlimited authority." The full force of these words appeals at once to us, and the more one examines them the more does he become persuaded of their verity. Most of us in theory would agree that no earthly authority should be unlimited, since history is full of object-lessons showing how unwise it is to entrust to men uncontrolled command over their fellows. The persecutions of the past have taught us what so-called religious fervor is capable of when "robed in a brief authority."
At one time the individual possessed no rights as distinct from the state, but in the process of progress the shackles have been gradually shaken off, and nowadays any country under a government of unlimited authority is considered —and justly so —a laggard in the march of civilization. "Liberty, equality, fraternity," these are the watchwords of the modern world, and as each progressive state begins to recognize the rights of man, the days of tyranny are numbered. Our Leader says, "The despotic tendencies inherent in mortal mind and always germinating in new forms of tyranny, must be rooted out through the action of the divine Mind" (Science and Health, p. 225) and though the abolition of mental slavery is indeed a difficult task, man's birthright to "dominion . . over all the earth" is not to be set aside.
Christian Science above all else points out clearly to each one of us his duty to God, to his neighbor, to himself, and as each one rises in spiritual understanding he becomes a law unto himself and recognizes no sovereignty but that of God; but though he should be fearlessly outspoken for the right, he should neither exercise authority over his fellows nor allow them to have any mental control over himself. "It shall not be so among you," said our Master, referring to undue exercise of authority, "but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;" and he added, speaking of himself. "The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister."
