Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1938-05-13
eye have need of patience"

/" NIT tnat tney nave He0u VI
i l. patience. Some are earnestly
striving to cultivate 1t, and occasion
ally someone may feel that he has
measurably succeeded In realizing
It. One engaged in any legitimate
pursuit may exercise this quality In
the sense of perseverance or endur
ance in working toward some desired
end. But in other respects 1t enters
into ones attitude toward af1iction,
provocation, or any evil, either as
negative, passive endurance or else
as a positive spirit of fortitude,
meekness, and unconquerable trust
in good. 1t was in the truer sense
that the writer of the epistle to the
Hebrews, after referring to the
"great fight of Affections" which
they had endured, said to the Chris
tian converts: "Cast not away there
fore your confidence, which hath
great recompense of reward. For We
have need of patience, that, after we
have done the will of God, We might
receive the promise" (Hebrews To-:
80, 35, 36).
The world has witnessed many fine
examples of forebearance of one to-
ward another, in view of another's
seeming faults, infirmities, or need
for comfort or care; examples OF
courage necessary to face difficult
conditions with a calm expectation
of some desirable outcome, and OF a
kindness maintained under vexa-
tious stress. Indeed, in all such in
stances of discipline patience Is
equivalent to an undaunted conf
dence in something higher and bet
ter than the troublesome error. And
this shows that good is ever present.
and that it Is in some measure
grasped and manifested by right
thinking persons.
Much greater, then, is the impetus
toward patient continuance in well
doing" (Romans 2:7) when, through
Christian Science, good Is discerned
as divine Principle to be understood
and demonstrated; when 1t is seen
that we need patience toward our
selves, as we seek in calm persever-
ance to know the spiritual reality, so
that after we "have done the will Of
God" we may receive the promise. F"
What is the will Of God, and what
are the promises to be fulfilled, as
our thoughts are conformed to His
will? These are questions we need
to consider, that we may learn
wherein we "have need Of patience. /"
Cultivating a calm, steadfast charac-
ter is praiseworthy; but gaining true
patience means more than this. It
means persevering in the effort to
understand God and man, so that In
all our common or unusual expert
enees we may express the truth
which we know to be real, and thus
face all things not only with kindli-
ness, but with power, the power OF
ant conditions.
This view of patience as quality
we need in working out our own
salvation from material self and
sense, helps us to be truly forbear-
ing toward others, for in striving to
conform to divine Principle we more
clearly see as unreal the conditions
which tempt us to Impotence, dis
content, WEAKNESS. resentment. And
in healing our own thoughts we are
in that measure bringing the healing
truth to discordant conditions and to
all involved therein.
Our great need is to understand
God and man and faithfully apply
our understanding, looking to good
witt unconquerable hope and love.
This we must do; this alone helps
us to overcome our difficulties. Mary
Baker Eddy says in Science and
Health with Key to the Scriptures,
1.-THE Divine Being must be reflected
by man,-else man is not the image
and likeness of the patient, tender.
and true, the One altogether love
ly;' but to understand God is the
work of eternity, and demands abso-
lutte conservation of thought, energy,
and desire
We must not be impatient with
ourselves when we feel that our foot
steps in knowing God are hating
and our progress slow. We must re-
member the perfect beauty of the
goal. And since we are working out
this great problem of being in asso-
citation with others in all manner of
human affairs, we have need of pa
thence as kindness of heart which
furthers our own realization of good
and our own release from false be-
lief, while it also extends the healins
influence of divine Love to all con.
cerned and ameliorates the friction
Of human will.
In his epistle James speaks of the
husbandman who "waiteth for the
precious fruit of the earth, and hath
long patience for it. until he receive
the early and latter RAIN" and from
this lesson he draws the admonition
'Be We also patient; stablish your
hearts for the coming of the Lore
draweth nigh" Games ST, 81. The
great purpose to know God and mar
Alright, to lay aside the false sense
of self, calls for the sublime serenity
which is ever upborne by the assur
ance that whatever is unlike God /.
being conquered. The Chris
tiGn Science Monitor.