Mower County transcript., 1904-12-21

harmonious action. &t q
If we take the history of any nation,
we will find that constant attempts to
disrupt the brotherhood of man have
been made and have only too often
succeeded. In the Bible narrative we
find that the brotherhood of man had
no sooner been established in the per-
sons of Cain and Abel than it was vio-
lently disrupted by little bit of envy
and jealousy on the part of Cain. We
are told that when his offering re-
ceived no respect he was very wroth
and his countenance FELL" If we fol-
low the history of the Jewish race as
depicted in the Bible, this same dis
ruption will be recognized as constant
ly reappearing and due, in every in
stance to some form Of sin. We find
Jacob and Esau separating; the sons
Of Jacob ridding themselves of Joseph
by reason of envy; we find the king
doms OF Judah and Israel drawing
apart, and eventually punished by be.
ing sent into captivity. Similar H.
Illustrations might be quoted ad intinit-
um from the histories of all nations
and people.
Upon closer study, then the
prerequisite to any practical scheme
for expressing the brotherhood of man
is found to be self-knowledge, leading
to humility and love and the overcom-
ing of evil in the individual conscious.
ness.
Suppose that two persons in
this audience should agree nev-
er to hate again, no matter
what the provocation, no matter
whether they were seemingly justi-
fed by the customary codes of man.
kind; suppose third person should
join these two; fourth; a fifth; ten
persons; a hundred; a thousand; sup
pose million persons should agree
never to hate again; and suppose this
process to take in, by degrees, the
whole human race; would not hatred
be as completely eliminated from our
midst as though it had never been ?
Suppo:e all the other sins to which
flesh is heir, to eliminated, one by
one, from human consciousness in the
same manner; is 1t not evident that
by degree sinless man would make his
anpearance and also the complete
Broth erhood for which we so greatly
long?
am not one of those who decry the
various attempts which are now being
made and which have been made to
express the Brotherhood Of Man in ma
terial affairs. I honor all those who
are lahcr;ng in many ways to express
this idea. whether in social, economic
or political conditions. The reformer
in various activities is contributing
to the final perfect expression of this
lofty ideal but the point never to be
forgotten is that this Brotherhood
must be recognized and cognized as a
spiritual fact, and this cannot be dis
regarded but must be~understood and
consummation can take form.
l would, Therefore, call your atten
ton to the noble results which study
of Christian Science is destined to pro-
luce in bringing out this ideal. The
human race has been too prone
to put the cart before the horse in all
these problems, to look at material
conditions and manifestations as
cause, and to relegate mans mental
attitude to the realm of consequence
or effect. Jesus reproved this false
method of reasoning when he said:
seek We first the kingdom of Heaven
and all these things shall be added un-
to you"
Christian Scientists do not look up
IN heaven as locality to be attained
through death, but consider it to be a
mental attitude wherein good is under
stood to be omnipotent and every
sen6blance opposed to good ceases to
have significance, entity, reality, or
existence. when men can know them
selves to be thus in heaven, they cap.
not desire to oppress their brethren,
uor can, they be Influenced by greed,
fear, envy, jealousy or malice, but
must know each other as they really
are, as the children of common Par
ent. Then must "all things be added,
for the expression of this mental atti-
tude brings as necessary conse'
1uence, the safe guarding Of the rights
Of others and a tender sOlicitude for
their interests.
When the true Brotherhood of Man
is understood, man can never be lone
ly. When this brotherhood is under
SCOOu W Uc, pl1udl11y, duu ,CooCuCAd41y,
spiritual, not material, then it follows
that man really chooses his comrades
irrespective of material circumstances
and surroundings, independently of
time and space.
For instance, here are many people
in our day, in many parts of the world,
who are comrades and companions of
Shakespeare although he lived some
four hundred years ago. They know
how he thought, and that thinking
was the real Shakespeare. There are
others who are intimately acquainted
with Homer, who is supposed to have
lived, approximately, three thousand
years ago. 1t is evident there
fore, that in true companionship
the question of time and space can be
eliminated. There are many people
to-day who are friends and acquaint.
ances Of Beethoven, although they
have never seen him. They know his
musical thought. Their friendship
with him is q mental matter. Bee
.thoven himself, we are told, after he
became deaf, continued to- compose,
although he never heard the sound sof
his own compost tions. He thought
his music and wrote it down. and
.thon sandss OF persons have heard that