The absolute nature of God's government of man and the universe is clearly stated throughout the writings of the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy. A cogent statement of hers, relative to what is known as the actual business of government in the world today, reads as follows (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 94): "The eastern empires and nations own their false government to the misconceptions of Deity there prevalent." Here lies the clue to the underlying cause of poor government, under which much of humanity suffers today—a lack of understanding of God. There is, on the other hand, a noticeable connection between the enlightenment which Christianity brings to men and nations and increasingly righteous government.
Even throughout what is known as Christendom today there exist varying degrees of Christlikeness. The light of Truth seems but slowly to penetrate materialistic darkness, until thought becomes ready to lay down its earth weights and rise to the spiritual sense of Life which Truth demands. In proportion to the Christianization of individuals and nations, governments improve, and the improvement is marked in every instance by increase of freedom for the individual—freedom to think for himself, act for himself, pray for himself. This desideratum was indicated by Paul, that valiant Christian, nineteen centuries ago, when he admonished (Phil. 2:12, 13): "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."
When tyrannical practices still persist, the great need is for a higher sense of Christianity understood and utilized. Government, as Christian Science teaches and expounds it, begins with God and operates on behalf of the individual, who reflects God's government, control, guidance, and illumination. The general opinion that government is something outside the individual which determines his experience in one way or another, for either good or evil, is, when examined in the light of spiritual reality, a mistaken concept.
