Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1940-06-13
True Contentrnent

Most PEOPLE would agree
N that contentment is yaIu.
- able asset, and would willing.
ly give much to be assured of its
lasting possession. Considered, how.
ever, from the material STANDPOINT
this state Of consciousness seems
to be Of a fleeting nature. One
may temporarily experience a false
sense Of contentment or satisfaction
over some material possession. or
because Of some human condition or
situation, but such a source of con.
tentment is never lasting, for ma.
teriai 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 certain desires
or the realization of some particu.
lar ambition will bring contentment,
only to find that such attachments
when secured, have failed to bring
the expected satisfaction.
What is true contentment May
it not be defined as satisfaction, or
restfulness Of spirit, as serenity and
peace of mind? Paul declares (Phil.
ippians A: 11), ''I 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 I'M
toward condition or circumstance!
It came from his knowledge and
understanding of God, his recogni-
ton Of the value and permanencs
of spiritual things and the nothing.
ness Of all that the material senses
hold desirable and valuable. :.
Man reflects the abundance and at.
fiuence of infinite Love, the omnipo-
tence 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 inl
his parable Of the prodigal, wherel
the father said to the elder brother
(Luke Is: 31), "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 there
fore it is a natural quality, which
man forever 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,
lacking nothing that is necessary
to the full and perfect expression
Of God, good, Of Life and Love, we
shall have attained to spiritual con.
tentment, and it will be unchange-
able and enduring. Nothing can
mar it or take it from us, for this
exalted spiritual consciousness must
Of necessity destroy those disturb.
ing and unhappy conditions Of
thought which find expression in dis
satisfaction, covetousness, Jealousy,
envy, selfishness, and greed, and
such unlovely traits as pride and
self-satisfaction. It silences the
craving of the human mind for con-
slant acquisition of material things.
and dissolves the restlessness and
continual urge for mere worldly pur'
suits and the indulging of sensuous
pleasures, which never have
brought, and never can bring, hap
piness or contentment. It replaces
the false satisfaction Of worldliness
and worldly knowledge with spirit
ual ideals and joys, and enables u
to understand and appreciate the
words Of Mary Baker Eddy, the
Discoverer and Founder Of Chris.
tan Science, where she writes u
Science and Health with Key 70
the Scriptures" (p. 452), Better
Is the frugal intellectual repast with
contentment and virtue, than the
luxury Of learning with egotism ari0
vic" ~ fftC '7'i's Y VIZ
Again, true spiritual contentmens
does not mean surrender to idle.
ness, laxity, or self-satisfaction ID
what has already been accom-.
plished, a specious contentm ens
with halfway achievement, VITA
things attempted but not fully com.
pleted. On the contrary, disconrens
with oneself, a discomfort that spurs
one to greater effort in q worthy
undertaking or cause, is helpful ana
beneficial. Spiritual understanding
awakens thought to the apprecla-
ton Of true values, and desire 70 y
attain greater spiritual growth anu
achievement.
He who possesses true contenE;
ment possesses great spiritusi
riches, a treasure of priceless worm,
and all may attain to it who are
willing to seek for it and pay inc
price. And the price is self-su1rr'
render to God, divine Love, a VIII
irgness to put aside our belief IN Z
material selfhood and our material
sense Of things, and joyously, grate..
fully, humbly, as little children, pus
our trust and faith in the oInnipo'
tence and Onnipresence Of the ID.
ffnfkalv fandar 80 ~ >, q q q inn q &c