THE Psalmist wrote: "Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles." The world is still looking for redemption from its troubles, its confusion, uncertainty, worry, fear; is looking for release from all limiting beliefs. It is well, therefore, to consider the preserving qualities of integrity and uprightness.
Turning to Webster's dictionary, we find given as a synonym for them both the word "rectitude"; and "rectitude" is defined as "rightness of principle or practice." To the Christian Scientist this definition is of significance; for in her writings Mrs. Eddy has defined God as "Principle," and the Christian Scientist has learned that rightness of practice can emanate only from a right apprehension of Principle. Right acting or living is never unprincipled. Thinking, living, acting, are truly right only in the measure that they possess the spiritual dominion utilized by Christ Jesus, and this dominion proceeds alone from spiritual thinking. The term "Principle" at once suggests basis, foundation, certainty, stability, completeness. Building on Principle, one builds on the Rock against which the storms of materialism beat in vain. Christ Jesus' demonstrations of divine power always resulted from the action of Principle, meeting the human need.
What a mistaken sense mankind in general has of its need! One feels he needs a physical healing, another a position, another a sum of money, and so on. But are these material things what he primarily needs? A study of the word "need" and its derivatives in the Concordances to our Leader's writings reveals the fact that not once does she speak of the need of acquiring material things. But over and over again she stresses the need of acquiring a spiritual understanding of man's relationship to God. Jesus himself said: "Take no thought for your life, . . . nor yet for your body. . . . But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." He knew the hungry multitudes needed bread, and he fed them; he knew the suffering invalid needed healing, and he healed him; but these were the things "added" as the result of the filling of the real need, the need of finding the kingdom of God, of gaining the understanding of man's relationship to God.
