The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-09-17

\
In much the same way there was
born in the consciousness Of Mrs
1 Eddy the idea that there exists a Law
1 Of Spirit. She had observed that
sometimes great suffering and dts
tress were produced by material
laws, and that even whole commun-
titles were devastated and destroyed
by their operation, hence she came to
the conclusion that God who pos
sesses infinite wisdom and goodness
could not operate through laws that
produce both good and evil. She
therefore, came to the conclusion that
His universe through spiritual laws
and not through material laws.
/ Mrs. Eddy also studied the miracles
in the Old and New Testaments, and
came to the inevitable conclusion
that all of those events were corre-
lated by means of an underlying
| spiritual law that had been known
and understood by the men who
wrought them, and she said that II
she could discover the law it would
be found to operate in the same man
ner now as in Bible times; that ii
would be healing law. and would
now heal people of sickness and sin
and every evil human condition the
same as then.
This idea grew and expanded in
her consciousness until it became the
impelling motive of her entire life
In the year 1866 she discovered the
law of Spirit, and named 1t Christian
Science. After waiting nine years,
| during which time she subjected the
Principle that she had discovered to
the broadcast practical tests in heal
ing sickness and other forms of hui
| man discord, she published q state
ment of Christian Science in a book
which she entitled Science and
Health with Key to the Scriptures"
This book is now everywhere recog-
nized as the only textbook of Chris
tan Science. A great religious move
ment has formed around it's teach
ings, which in one generation has
girdled the earth with it's churches.
The spread Of Christian Science has
been phenomenal, and its growth has
resulted from healing. Every. adj
herent of Christian Science has
actually been healed of some sick
ness, disease or sinful appetite, and
most of them have been healed of
many such conditions. These facts
are easily verified. and are worthy Of
very serious consideration.
Spiritual Law. t
Mrs. Eddy discovered the law of
spirit as truly as Sir Isaac Newtol
discovered the law Of gravitation, and
this fact should be thoroughly under
| stood. Just as Newton discovered
that the movements of material
bodies are regulated and governed by
this material law, so Mrs. Eddy dis
covered the Principle that governs
the entire universe. including every
detail In the lives of men. That SUI
preme, creative, governing, omni-
present Mind or Principle is God, the
only cause, the only creator, the only
Ruler of man and the universe.
When we watch water flowing over
the land we see that without hesita-
ton or delay 1t always selects the
low places. All fresh water is con-
tinually striving TO reach the sea,
where 1t will be at rest. In choosing
its course it measures the topography
OF the ground more accurately and
more quickly than the engineer could
do with his instruments. No en-
bodied mind is present to tell 1t
where osgo. but there is an unerring,
invisible law everywhere present
directing its movement, and always
guiding 1t in the true course.
II such perfect law exists to guide
the water In its movement toward
the sea, how much more certain it
Is that equally perfect spiritual law
exists to guide the footsteps of tired
and discouraged human beings out Of
the wilderness OF sickness, failure
and sin into the kingdom of peace.
The Bible tells us that such a law
exists and is operating for our bene-
Mt. In Psalm xxxvii. % we read,
The steps Of good man are order
ed by the Lord" Again, in Romans.
viii, 2s. '.All things work together for
good to them that love God" and in
Romans viii, 2. For the law Of the
Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath
made me free from the law of sin and
DEATH"
What a sense of security comes to
enc when he realizes that there Is
really a Jaw OF good operating that
will guide his footsteps as truly as
the law of gravitation guides the
water. And what a sense of peace
comes from the assurance that there
is an infinite overruling Mind that
governs everything in the universe
from the least to the greatest, and
causes All things to work together
for good
In each case, however. a condition
Is attached. One must desire to be
a good man, and must love God.
otherwise the law of good does not
operate for him. To attain goodness.
one must think and live as nearly as
ne can In accordance with spiritual
truth; ones motives and aims must
be honest. and his desires unselfish.
In this way the connection is es-
tablished between his consciousness
and the law, and then the law oper-
ates through him and in his behalf.
IL he Is an evil man, that is, IL he
thinks and lives enormously, such
wrong thinking and living separate
his consciousness from the law of
good. SO that the law cannot then
guide his footsteps or make every
thing work together for good for him.
Source Of Good and Evil.
Outside of Christian Science very
few people have ever reasoned out
the question to their own satisfaction
as to where good and evil come from.
and still fewer have even satisfac-
tory theory as to how good may oe
secured or evil avoided in actual hui
man experience.
All through the centuries there has
been a widespread belief that good
and evil come as the result of luck or
chance, but this belief is necessarily
Incorrect Among all polytheists, or
those who believe in many gods,
there is the belief that some OF the
gods send good and that others send
evil, and they seek TO propitiate the
latter by sacrifices and rites. believ-
ing that in this way alone they can
escape from evil.
Among monotheists, or those who
believe there Is but one God, there is
the belief that the one God creates
and sends both good and evil. This
belief, however, involves so many
impossible contradictions that IL has
istence Of an evil being called devil"
who Is supposed to create and send
evil. Thus, to escape the belief that
God sends both good and evil, those