EVERYONE with the good of his fellow men at heart laments the lack of self-government apparent today. It confronts us in many quarters and is the outward manifestation of thinking that is unspiritual, thinking that is material, worldly, selfish. The spiritually undisciplined are the trouble makers. It is they who originate and sustain inharmony and strife throughout the world, and swell the criminal ranks; whereas the spiritually-minded, those who have attained to some measure of true self-government, are the promoters of harmony among their fellow men, the peacemakers.
The genuine Christian Scientist is keenly alive to the human situation. He is awake to the shortcomings of mankind, acquainted with the lack of self-government so prevalent; but he is not thereby dismayed, for Christian Science has shown him how all men may understand its teachings, place themselves under the law of God, and become truly self-governed. It holds out a bright promise to every humble heart, the promise of regeneration— mastery over self, with consequent harmony. And as the individual attains to harmonious living through obedience to divine law, he becomes a peacemaker among men.
Let us examine the nature of the solution which Christian Science offers to lack of self-government. Briefly, the solution lies in a knowledge of man, the true spiritual selfhood of each one of us. What has Christian Science to say of this, our real selfhood? It informs us that it is the idea, image, or reflection of God. As the reflection of God it possesses the qualities of God—perfect Spirit or Mind—qualities such as goodness, love, purity, truthfulness, spirituality, wisdom, health, holiness. But not a single evil quality is to be found in the real man. That is the truth which, if apprehended and affirmed with conviction and constancy, will bring about the regeneration of mankind.
Self-government, then, is attained through knowledge of man, God's image and likeness, and the bringing to bear of that knowledge on the unspiritual thoughts of men. As one understands that his real selfhood is the reflection of God, and that this selfhood, being altogether good— perfect—is necessarily ever in the enjoyment of all the qualities of real, harmonious spiritual being, he sees the unreality of every mental quality that is not good, and the futility of harboring in thought any such erroneous quality. In other words, he cultivates assiduously those good qualities which are his by divine right, rejecting the false qualities of evil. In this way he manifests true self-government.
Mrs. Eddy writes (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 125), "Reflecting God's government, man is self-governed." Then she goes on to say, "When subordinate to the divine Spirit, man cannot be controlled by sin or death, thus proving our material theories about laws of health to be valueless." That is what true self-government does. In so far as we demonstrate our real selfhood, thereby subordinating ourselves to spiritual law, we are protected against so-called material law, with its consequents, sin, disease, and death. Also, in the measure that we attain to true self-government we are able to help our fellow men in the overcoming of the false beliefs which afflict them.
What would not mankind give to be liberated from fear of sickness, sin, and death? How grievously that triad of errors appears to afflict the human race! The remedy is at hand in Christian Science. The true nature of man has been revealed, and the unreal nature of mortal existence made plain. It remains for all to learn the truth and accept their divine birthright of true self-government, with proportionate freedom from fear of materiality or evil of whatever kind.
The Christian Scientist knows that he must protect his efforts to obtain deliverance from the false sense of self. Evil is still believed by many to be real and powerful, for they are not yet acquainted with God as infinite good. What, then, does the Christian Scientist do to protect his efforts after righteous self-government? He knows and affirms God's allness and omnipotence, and realizes evil's nothingness. As he does this, he places himself under God's law, and he and his efforts are thus protected. Mrs. Eddy's desire that Christian Scientists should protect themselves against suggested evil—mental malpractice—is clearly expressed in her words on page 442 of Science and Health, "Christian Scientists, be a law to yourselves that mental malpractice cannot harm you either when asleep or when awake." They should have no fear of evil. Mrs. Eddy's discovery is that God, good, is infinite, and evil unreal. There can be no modifying of that discovery. And since evil is unreal, why fear evil? To do so is to continue to believe that God is not infinite good. We must be faithful to our understanding of God.
The Scriptures show that, through obedience to God's law, many in the past attained to a large measure of true self-government. But none demonstrated man, their real selfhood, as did Christ Jesus. The Master stands out as the great Exemplar of righteous living, the perfect exponent of spiritual truth, who proved, as no other had ever done, the power of spiritual law to destroy or annul all manner of sin and disease, and even death. Jesus was the most perfectly self-governed man who ever lived on earth because more than any other he was obedient to the will of his Father—divine Truth and Love. And what did the master Meta-physician lovingly ask of his followers? "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me," he said, adding, "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." True self-government should be an easy yoke, a light burden.
The world is calling aloud for true self-government today, for it alone can displace government by will power, whose weapon is material force. What a blundering thing is human will! Being devoid of an understanding of God, divine Principle, and of man as God's image or reflection, men entertain it invariably to their own discomfiture and the discomfiture of others. Government by spiritual law alone will destroy human will—give men the ascendancy over evil, and usher in the reign of harmony and peace. It was Moses who, in his great address to the children of Israel in the plains of Moab, said (Deuteronomy 30:19), "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." It was Christ Jesus who in his prayer—the Lord's Prayer—uttered the words (Matthew 6:10): "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."
