The struggle of the human race to attain liberty and lasting peace is a constant exertion of a belief in an intelligence or power superior to itself, and not only separate therefrom but actually opposed thereto. The purposes of the efforts of the peoples in the dawn of civilization to appease the wrath or tempt the vanity of their gods, to whom they attributed the power of blessing or blasting the products of the earth and of men's labor, were in no wise different from the inherent fear in the human mind and its efforts to dominate or avoid the domination of matter, in this the twentieth century. To-day men claim not to fear the power of the wind god, and they rise to tremendous heights and travel long distances with safety and comfort; yet many look upon a so-called germ of disease with abject terror, calling upon the belief in a medicinal power to assuage the evil of sickness.
Men now generally recognize one God, many believing that He is either the creator of good and evil or that He is aware of and allows the power of evil to operate as a means of forcing mankind to obey His laws, which seem to them to be difficult and mandatory, therefore superior and opposed to and separate from human happiness, success, or desires; hence the supposition that the inventions of many minds must be resorted to in bringing about improved conditions in the affairs of men and nations. Through the teaching of Christian Science we learn that because God is one infinite Mind. Love, Principle, intelligence, omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence, there is no reality, intelligence, presence, or power in matter; therefore sin, sickness, and discord have no relation to nor are they any part of that perfect creation which God beheld as "very good," and John declares, "Without him was not any thing made that was made."
Some few years ago the word efficiency was constantly before the public mind, in the newspapers, professional and trade journals, governmental departments, universities, churches, and schools. What is efficiency? One dictionary gives as a definition, "Power of producing wealth." That is exactly what the world of men believed to be the need of the hour,—the production, distribution, and consumption of material wealth, which, however, eventuated in the production of huge machinery and methods for the destruction of life and property; an irregular distribution of foods and commodities, with distressing consequences; and the awesome consumption of wealth that has brought the indebtedness of the nations to such a total sum that figures fail to convey an adequate comprehension of its immensity. Throughout commercial, industrial educational, and religious interests to-day is noticeable the request for normality. This does not mean a return to particular conditions of some past period, nor can it be obtained through such a return. It is, in fact, resorting to the regular functioning of practical standards, under given rules already existent, based on Principle, and its unfoldment necessarily rests upon a superior degree of understanding than formerly. It is therefore universally beneficial, as have been the grades of progress in human thought from the Marathonian messenger to the radiotelegram.
