Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-06-28

ton. II the mortal is in a state of
stupefied self-satisfaction, this awak-
ening may not seem pleasant, but 1t
remains an inevitable need, neverthe-
less. The Master said: Think not that
am come to send peace on earth;
came not to send peace but sword
Had he come as q pleaser OF men he
would have catered to their wants. He
was, however, their best and truest
friend because he could and did tell
them of their needs. Those who were
ready to hear the glad tidings called
him blessed, while those who chung to
their wants, controlled by pride and
self-will, cried "Crucify him." Judas
Iscariot stands forth In history as a
conspicuous type Of the man OF greed
and want; he betrayed his Lord and
Master for thirty pieces Of silver: The
mad rush for the accumulation of ma
terial wealth win today do the same
thing, unless men awaken from their
folly and realize their one and only
need OF seeking FIRST the kingdom of
God and his righteousness"
Christian Science comes also as law
OF adjustment and reconciliation. 1t
begins at once to curtail human wants
through the all-satisfying influence OF
divine Love, which relieves us or the
old-time sense of dependence upon ma
terial things.
All Wants sImpIIfIed
Any true Christian Scientist will wit
ness that since becoming interested
in Science his wants are simplifed,
fewer In number than ever before, and
for the reason that he has learned to
give first thought to his needs and to
be governed by them rather than by
his wants. He has learned to acknowl-
edge God as the only source of supply,
and by obeying His law, even the af-
fairs OF everyday life become divine
ly adjusted, peaoe and harmony reign
to a marked degree, and man finds
himself cognizant OF. his spiritual needs
and no longer satisfied on the plane OF
human want. Manlins has truly said:
Every one is the poorer in proportion
as he has more wants, and counts not
what he has, but wishes only what he
has not" Our rightful service to God
will increase proportionately as our
wants decrease. John the Baptist must
have had q clear recognition of this
fact when, in referring to the Christ,
he said: HE must increase, but must
decrease"
In coming to Christian Science some
have asked, Why am I not quickly
healed? May 1t not be because they
have not been disciplined sufficiently
to discern between Il want" and 81
need? There Is no doubt but that
the mortal wants to be healed, he
wants to be freed from pain, and often
times in sheer desperation, he will say,
at must have relief and don't care
where it comes from" Right here he
makes a most fatal mistake, in that
he cares not where the help may come
from. In this mental state there Is no
recognition of his real need nor Of
the one and only source whence help
can come, but merely a desperate ex-
preston of want. What Is the usual
result? Either a temporary cessation
of pain or else such increased suffer-
ing that the poor mortar is finally
compelled to turn to the right source
for help. He can then sympathize with
the Psaimist, who said: Before I
was afflicted went astray.
It Is good for me that I have been
afflicted; that I might learn thy
statutes"
The desire for material things always
leads thought away from God, whereas
an intelligent recognition of our need
always leads us back to our true sup
ply In Mind. This fact Is graphically
portrayed in the experience of the prod
igal son, who made thorough test OF
the Il want habit, and finally awak-
ened from his day-dream only to find
that he had been feeding on husks.
perative need OF returning to his
fathers house and humbly confessing
his folly. All are familiar with the
warm reception accorded him. Con-
trolled by envy, jealousy and covetous-
ness, the mortal wants something
which Is not his own; under the infiu-
ence of envy he would rob another OF