THE reassuring message of Christian Science comes to a materialistic world that is power conscious, that has suffered from power politics, that has witnessed the destructive power of mechanical engines of war, and that lives in fear of the unleashing of a power hitherto unknown. Mary Baker Eddy, after years of consecrated study and prayer, received the revelation that God, Love, is the only power; that God, Spirit, is All; that matter is nothing; that so potent is divine Love that it can annul all material so-called power, even if it is manifested as the power of the totalitarian dictator, the engine of war, or the fury of the atomic bomb.
Lord Acton, referring to material power, said, "All power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Yet Christian Scientists know that there is only one real power, God, Love, and that Love's power is absolute and constructive, reversing and nullifying corruptive, destructive material power in its totality. To know this and to prove our knowing by demonstration is the joyous occupation of all who have named the name of Christ in Christian Science. "All knowledge is lost which ends in the knowing," and unless we use our knowledge of Christian Science in demonstration, it becomes atrophied—indeed, it is not knowledge until it is demonstrated, even as God could not be God without being expressed.
In Christian Science, as in the Bible, Love is used as a synonym for God. In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy we find that our Leader uses seven synonyms for God, namely, Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love. A careful study of the chapter headed "Recapitulation" and of the Glossary will yield to the student revealing descriptions and definitions of Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, and Life. In the Preface to the textbook Mrs. Eddy writes (p. viii), "The question, What is Truth, is answered by demonstration,—by healing both disease and sin." So we know that Truth is that which can be proved. But fully to define Love is beyond mere human speech or thought. Yet none, be he of highly trained intellect, illiterate, spiritually-minded, or vicious, can fail to respond to Love expressed, be it in good works, kindly words, charitable thoughts, or merited rebuke. The betrayal by Judas was mortal mind's reaction to Love as expressed by Christ Jesus, and it was utterly without power to harm, as he proved by his resurrection and ascension beyond matter. The giving of the widow's mite was a reflection of Love, and the gift had power beyond human understanding.
In "Miscellaneous Writings" our Leader, writing about Love, says (pp. 249, 250): "What a word! I am in awe before it. Over what worlds on worlds it hath range and is sovereign! the underived, the incomparable, the infinite All of good, the alone God, is Love." Does the reader begin to comprehend the immensity and majesty of Love? Then let him read from his Bible: "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing" (Rev. Ver., I Cor. 13: 1,2). Indeed the whole chapter is an inspired revelation of the potency, gentleness, and beauty of the love of Love, expressed in kindliness, long-suffering, courtesy, patience, meekness, and endurance in adversity.
Because God fills all space there is no place where Love is not, and so there is no place where error can be. The material thoughts identified as a totalitarian dictator cannot be. All space is filled with Love; and complete occupation by Love is the fact even when error appears as a material selfhood to posture in mortal mind as one of matter's many gods. Error can exist nowhere but in supposititious mortal mind. All the so-called power of engines of war, engines of peace, the atomic bomb, the power-seeking politician, is an erroneous belief of mortal mind. Yet every material seeming hints a spiritual reality, and a Love-inspired consciousness can reverse the material seeming, grasp the spiritual reality, confront mortal mind and its erroneous conception with the spiritual idea of God and man, and destroy the error. Truth and Love are mandatory in their vanquishment of error. God is Love, and God is Spirit, and Spirit is substance; therefore matter, Spirit's opposite. is nothing. So-called material substance is a matter dream.
During sleeping hours mortal mind ofttimes makes for itself another body and in that body travels over treetops or under water in its dream world, readily disobeying all the so-called material laws of its waking dream world. A Love-inspired consciousness can become aware of the unreality of either the sleeping or the waking dream world and immune from any perilous situation that is presented for acceptance to mortal mind. Divine Love is the supreme arbitrator which nullifies the seeming potency of error, however and wherever manifested.
Christian Scientists have a great responsibility and a great opportunity. We know that the Christ, the spiritual idea of God and man, can and will save mankind from materiality and mortality. By our fidelity to the Way-shower, Christ Jesus, and to our Leader, we can hasten the climax of all Christlike, Love-inspired endeavor, the coming of the kingdom of God on earth.
In the world's large cities are gathering statesmen of different creeds, different political ideologies, different cultures, and with conflicting ambitions and demands for their different countries. Yet we can all have the clear understanding that Love, Principle, directs; that Mind governs; that material personalities cannot supplant the real man, God's idea; that the real man exists to express God, Love, and nought else. In proportion to our unanimity and sincerity— as attested by spiritual knowing and pure living—we shall aid in bringing to light God's kingdom on earth and ensuring that the deliberations of statesmen are God-inspired, resulting in steady progress toward and attainment of peace and good will between nations. "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Hab. 2:14).
The three young Hebrews, when presented with the alternatives of debasing their understanding of the one God or being thrown into a fiery furnace, unhesitatingly chose the latter. They expressed their confidence in Love to deliver: "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king." So conscious were they of the protection and love of their Father-Mother God that their spiritual apprehension was able to cognize the presence of the saving Christ, the Son of God, so that when Nebuchadnezzar looked into the furnace he saw a fourth "like the Son of God." We can, whilst still appearing to be in the flesh, become so Love-inspired that we become immune even from the fury and violence of disintegrating matter—the rage, and hatred, and chagrin of matter consuming itself and discovering its nothingness. The consciousness of our oneness with Love can place us beyond the power of any violence of mortal mind, however expressed, and whatever the material evidence.
The chief characteristic of Love is giving. Love gives beauty and grace to the snowdrop, strength to the child's faltering footsteps. Love is expressed as we demonstrate divine Love's power to heal. The businessman, the lawyer, the artist, the mechanic can give the highest expression of his talents only by expressing Love in his daily contacts. To love our way through earth's pilgrimage is to walk with God and to enjoy a royal fellowship. Our spiritual consciousness becomes aware of Love in the smallest details of daily living. Love designates the flowering of the blossom and the destinies of mankind.
Our Leader writes (Science and Health, p. 520): "Unfathomable Mind is expressed. The depth, breadth, height, might, majesty, and glory of infinite Love fill all space. That is enough!"
Indeed, and indeed it is.
