God, Spirit, divine Principle, is the source of all true government. This government is made available to individuals by right ideas which have been revealed through the ages as they were importunately sought. These ideas are ever capable of greater unfoldment, but never deviate from their divine origin, Principle.
Since primarily they are right, they do not change, although a fuller expression of them may be necessary to meet the requirements of an advancing age. For instance, the commandment (Ex. 20:16), "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour," is a right idea, and modern nations have numerous libel laws which gain effect from the power inherent in it. Human laws must be the outward expression of these unfolding ideas in order to raise the standards of government.
Christian Science is teaching mankind to test all things by their origin. If they have a divine source, they are spiritual and eternal. If not, they are material and temporal. Laws should be judged on the same basis. The belief commonly entertained by mortals acknowledges temporal law as the governor in human affairs, rather than spiritual law.
