In her writings, Mary Baker Eddy alludes to worlds in a plural sense and to infinite space as filled with spiritual ideas. She stresses the infinitude of Spirit and the universe of Spirit and points to the truth that divine intelligence, Life, and Love fill all space, that the universal law of Love is powerful and all-inclusive.
Christian Scientists are grateful that the Christ, Truth, came to this planet through the Way-shower, Christ Jesus, and they are grateful that the discovery of Christian Science by Mrs. Eddy has brought his teaching to light again in our age. These students indulge in no speculation as to the population of other worlds, but they rest in the assurance that no part of the spiritual universe is without Love's representation.
On page 226 of "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany," Mrs. Eddy makes this interesting and enlightening observation regarding cause and effect: "What are termed in common speech the principle of harmonious vibration, the principle of conservation of numbers in geometry, the principle of the inclined plane in mechanics, etc., are but an effect of one universal cause,—an emanation of the one divine intelligent Principle that holds the earth in its orbit by evolved spiritual power, that commands the waves and the winds, that marks the sparrow's fall, and that governs all from the infinitesimal to the infinite, —namely, God."
That our Leader understood this Principle or universal cause to be Love is obvious from her writings. Many times she declared Love to be Life and wrote of its universal, infinite scope, leaving no pinpoint of space where Love is not supreme and divinely expressed. Thus she denied all power or activity to fear.
Jesus of Nazareth rebuked forever the thought of God as humanly circumscribed, as a distant Being, who loves and hates, who causes fear to stifle men and bring destruction to mankind. "Behold, the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21) were his tender words as he taught the love of God and His nearness. Christ Jesus instilled into men the fearlessness which comes from a complete and loving trust in the Father. He advocated brotherhood, oneness of thought, loving one's neighbor as oneself, and the purification of living, and he revealed the art of healing sin and disease.
Jesus assured his listeners that the heavens and the earth would pass away, but that his words, the truth he was giving them, would never pass away, but would continue to bless and heal all people down the ages. In line with Jesus' teaching, Mrs. Eddy wrote to a branch Church of Christ, Scientist (Miscellany, p. 189): "You worship no distant deity, nor talk of unknown love. The silent prayers of our churches, resounding through the dim corridors of time, go forth in waves of sound, a diapason of heart-beats, vibrating from one pulpit to another and from one heart to another, till truth and love, commingling in one righteous prayer, shall encircle and cement the human race."
Our Leader welcomed the advancement of useful sciences, the progress that unfolds to mankind inventions and discoveries which would have seemed miracles indeed in Jesus' day. She saw in each new invention and discovery a falling off of human shackles, a liberation of thought.
But her prophetic glimpses into the future foresaw the day of universal love, wherein could be found no hint of rivalry, jealousy, envy, fear, or destruction. In this holy prophetic vision of universal love, she saw peace already established and the law of divine Love encircling the world.
Because the divine Principle of creation never changes, its divine law maintains peace eternally. Mrs. Eddy knew that only self-will, self-seeking, and self-opinionated thinking are hiding from view man's true status and his eternal heritage of peace and power. Since peace itself has always existed as a fact, it is only necessary for one to become conscious of God's all-presence to experience His peace. In this is our defense.
Jesus maintained his peace and proved his defense to be love when the hatred of the opposing thought of his time surrounded him on every side. Time after time he quelled the storm of hatred by his love, the love that trusted in God's omnipotence. The Master did not allow himself to be touched by evil. Step by step he proved the way of love. He used no material weapons of defense, nor did he allow his students so to do. His defense was of God.
Defense then must be individual. As each individual lifts thought to God in simple trust and reflects His peace, he contributes to universal defense. He knows that divine Love permits no destructive force to operate in opposition to its allness.
Lasting peace can never be gained by material bargaining for it over a conference table. Why? Because when the hearts of mankind are afraid, fear can be dispelled only by Love. Only as we refuse to admit the false evidence of greed, domination, or lust for power, turn to the oneness and all-inclusiveness of divine Love, and rest in Truth can we recognize and demonstrate peace.
Mrs. Eddy rejoiced to see the growth of Christian Science in a certain great American city, and she wrote (Miscellany, p. 164): "What is this something, this phoenix fire, this pillar by day, kindling, guiding, and guarding your way? It is unity, the bond of perfectness, the thousandfold expansion that will engirdle the world,— unity, which unfolds the thought most within us into the greater and better, the sum of all reality and good."
Love extends that bond of perfectness which engirdles the world, and all space is filled with this sovereign power. Therefore, can fear possibly usurp the power of Love? Can man ever reflect anything besides Love? Can there be other than eternal unity, peace, and harmony? The answers must forever be in the negative, for Love alone governs man and the universe.
In Isaiah are these words of priceless comfort (Isa. 40:5): "The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." Accepting this promise, we shall behold fear destroyed and see that Love alone engirdles the world!
