Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-06-07
True Contentnent

III
W. contentment is a valuable asset,
~ and would willingly give much
to be assured of it's lasting possession.
Considered, however, from the materi-
al standpoint, this state Of conscious
ness seems to be of fleeting nature.
One may temporarily experience a
false sense of contentment or satisfac-
ton over some material possession, or
because of some human condition or
situation, but such source of content
ment is never lasting, for material
possessions may suddenly be lost, or
circumstances be altered, and erstwhile
contentment give place to bitterness,
dissatisfaction, and resentment. Or
one may feel that the gaining Of GER
tain desires or the realization of some
particular ambition will bring content
ment, only to find that such attain
ments, when secured, have failed to
bring the expected satisfaction.
What is true contentment? May it
not be defined as satisfaction, or rest
fulness of spirit, as serenity and peace
Of mind? Paul declares philippians
ALL, 81 have learned, in whatsoever
state I am, Herewith to be content"
Whence came to Paul the wonderful
sense of peace and contentment that
could not be disturbed or changed by
any untoward condition or circum-
stance? It came from his knowledge
and understanding of God, his recog-
milton of the value and permanence of
spiritual things and the nothingness of
all that the material senses hold desir-
able and valuable. Man reflects
the abundance and aff1uence of infinite
Love, the omnipotence of Truth, the
eternality Of Life. Man, as the idea
of God, possesses by reflection all the
good that God has, even as the beloved
Master, Christ Jesus, implied in his
parable of the prodigal, where the
father said to the elder brother (Luke
1881, "Son, thou art ever with me,
and all that have is thine" True
contentment, then, comes to us in the
degree of our spiritual understanding
of the fact of mans eternal unity with
God, the source of all good. It is an
attribute Of divine Mind, and therefore
it is natural quality, which man for
ever expresses, along with all the other
attributes of God, spontaneously and
without effort.
When we gain the assurance that
man is ever one with God, that he is
spiritual, perfect, and complete, lack
ing 4AOtlAHS 10 HCSCood4y W tuS
full and perfect expression of God,
good, of Life and Love, we shall have
attained to spiritual contentment, and
it will be Interchangeable and enduring.
Nothing can mar it or take it from us,
for this exalted spiritual consciousness
must of necessity destroy those dis
turbing and unhappy conditions of
thought which find expression in dis
satisfaction, covetousness, jealousy,
envy, selfshness, and greed, and such
unlovely traits as pride and self-satis-
faction. It silences the craving Of the
human mind for constant acquisition
of material things, and dissolves- the
restlessness and continual urge for
mere worldly pursuits and the indulg-
ing Of sensuous pleasures, which never
have brought, and never can bring,
happiness or contentment. 1t replaces
the false satisfaction of worldliness
and worldly knowledge with spiritual
ideals and joys, and enables us to
understand and appreciate the words
of Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer
and Founder of Christian Science.
where she writes in Science and
Health with Key to the Scriptures
(p. 1927, "Better is the frugal intellec-
tual repast with contentment and VIZ
tue, than the luxury of learning with
egotism and vice."
Again, true spiritual contentment
does not mean surrender to idleness
laxity,. or self -satisfac tion in what has