While the words "army" and "legions" bring militarism to thought, they really signify according to Christian Science something far above the mortal concept. The Bible presents in several places references to an army as being a power above things terrestrial. In the days of Daniel a repentant monarch declared of God, "He doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What does thou?" The Babylonian king surely lifted his own thought above a concept of earthly battalions when he rendered this homage to the Most High. He visioned something real and powerful; and this something must be just as real today. In Christian Science, which goes to the root of all things, we find that this higher sense of army signifies a grand cooperative system of ideas controlled by their divine Principle, God, and this undoubtedly was what the awakened king perceived as he looked outward and upward. In the nineteenth chapter of Revelation John writes of the spiritual idea of God, "The Word of God," as being followed by "the armies which were in heaven,"— something consonant with the reference that was made in the prophecy of Daniel.
In the universe of Spirit an army of ideas is harmonious. This is illustrated by the myriad rays of light all controlled by one central sun, and each ray in perfect harmony with its fellow rays, far and near. The "army of heaven" therefore embraces ideas of divine Mind, and this army fulfills the will and purpose of this one Mind throughout its limitless universe, including "the inhabitants of the earth." In Christian Science we clearly see and gladly acknowledge this one Mind to be Love, and hence its purpose must be loving, wise, kindly, and unfailing. Being perfect, this army of Love, the real intelligence, must bring harmony to the earth of human sense, because peace is the normal condition in the realm of ever present Spirit. Its legions of true ideas are everywhere accomplishing the purposes of God. Was it not of these that Jesus spoke to Pilate when he said, "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?"
In human consciousness we see the activity of this army displayed in world-wide movements toward human betterment in religion, government, and education. Christian Scientists find the highest manifestation of such progress in The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, and its branches throughout the world. Its members see that in the highest sense The Mother Church represents the church invisible, the true "army of heaven," a structure eternal, indestructible, and invincible. This church stands for peace, liberty, equality—the fatherhood and motherhood of God, and the true brotherhood of man. The branches of this parent church are therefore like unto legions of peace, their loyal members soldiers of Christ, heralds of love and good will, each loyal member striving to be as faithful to Principle as is a single ray of light to its central source, the sun. Even as in the work of light in the material day each ray is faithful first to the sun, and therefore faithful to every other ray, so in the Church of Christ, Scientist, the loyal member strives to be true to Principle, true to himself, and true to every other man.
