The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1919-06-26

THE PRINCETON UNION: m
early in His ministry, told His disci-
pies that they had power over this
enemy, and this is easily understood;
for everyone can see that in proper
ton as he becomes enlightened, he
has power over ignorance, especially
when he perceives that this same ig-
norance has constituted his own men,
tally. And do you wonder that
Christian Scientists, having learned
the spiritual Interpretation of the
Bible, and realizing that this same
power is possible for them, are CRATE
full to Mrs. Eddy for discovering the
way? Mrs. Eddy in the Christian
Science textbook, has explained that
the expression mortal mind" is not
really accurate. There is in reality
but one Mind, the infinite, the divine.
There are not minds many, just as
there are not Gods many. AS we live,
move and have our being in this one
Mind, no erroneous or harmful thought
should come to us to be manifested
in some discordant or ungodlike act.
The expression mortal mind, for want
of more descriptive term, refers not
to an entity, but to the lack of the
one Mind. When man ceases to re-
fleet the divine Mind, then the human
senses so-called, have the ascendancy
and man may seem to be sick or sin
ming; but it is only seeming, only a
counterfeit of the real, the eternal, the
perfect, the God-like man. Our mis-
sion, our constant effort and prayer
should be to let no imperfect impress
sions come to us-to look ever for the
perfect, or as Mrs. Eddy says on page
261 of Science and Health, "Hold
thought steadfastly to the enduring,
the good, and the true, and you will
bring these into your experience pro-
portionably to their occupancy of your
thoughts" Is not this indeed what
the prophet had in mind when he said
of God, "Thou are of purer eyes than
to behold evil?'
AS Christian Scientists are some
times criticised for denying the reali-
ty of the so-called devil and evil-let
us proceed with. this reasoning. All
will agree that God is good and that
He has all power, and that, being good
and having all power, He has made
all things good and the record says
He pronounced all things as very good.
Then where does your evil originate !?
God didn't create it. But, you say,
what about the devil? Certainly God
| didn't create devil to undo or make
for naught the work of His own
might. Is it not pretty clear to you,
my friends, that you cannot locate the
devil by any reasonable theory? You
cannot say he just happened to exist
You must conclude that there is one
God and no devil, or else that God is
not omnipotent and that there is an.
other supreme power that is evil OF
devil, and opposed to God, which
thought is unbelievable.
But, you say, what will you do with
the Satan or devil of the Bible? What
did Jesus say Of him: "He was a
murderer from the beginning and
abode not in the truth, because there
is no truth in him. When he speaketk
a lie he speaketh Of his own, for he is
a liar, and the father of it," (Johr
8:44). Is not this the weightiest ties.
timony to the falsity, the nothingness
Of the belief in any actual devil OF
source of evil? Think what worlc
OF fear, sorrow, unrest, sickness, suf
fering and death this supposed Satar
has brought to humanity. It is strange
how unready many of us are still, tt
deny him and to claim and prove
Gods allness. When we come to an
alyze the beliefs and practices of me1
for centuries, we find that they have
been mainly impelled by fear of some
power that was superior to God, OF
could in some way outwit God. Thi.
is witnessed on every hand; for in
stance, men build fortunes and amas.
large sums of money that no want OF
lack may come to them or their fam
lilies for generations after their owr
lives. Surely men would not benz
every energy, work night and day
drive sharp bargains, starve thei1
employees for the piling up of money
unless they attached value thereto
Nothing could more clearly indicate
their distrust in Gods ability or will.
lingness to provide their loved ones
with all their needs. No fallacy has
been more universally exposed in the
nVes and experiences of men than
this; for did not Jesus say, "Seek ye
first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness and all these things will
be added unto you," for our guidance
in this respect? Then when men have
an ache or a pain, do they seek the
help of Him who is all powerful or dc
they for the most part seek the aid Of
material relief? Mute testimony this
to their distrust of Gods ability te
overcome some power opposed to Him
But what a mournful testimony is
given in Bible history of King Asa
who sought material help for disease
for says the record: ''Yet in his dis
ease he sought not to the Lord. but tt
the physicians. And Asa slept with
his fathers"
Christian Science is trying to helr
men to see and to understand that fol
every need, one should look to God, tc
the spiritual, and not to the material