The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1941-04-05


li0. BE Of good cheer: the warfare
with ones self Is grand: II gives one
plenty OF employment. and the d.
vine Principle worketh with you,--
and obedience crowns persistent
effort with everlasting victory"
Jesus said. "A mans foes shall be
they OF his own household" This
does not mean that his foes shall be
the other members OF his family. but
that his foes may be found In his
own mental home. In his own men,
tally. In other words. his enemies
are wrong thoughts. false beliefs. evil
suggestions. Because his enemy Is
not q person, but evil itself. the only
place he can handle II successfully
Is where II appears To present itself
lin his own thinking. Now we see
what Mrs. Eddy meant In the pas
sage we quoted q few moments ago.
The warfare with ones self Is
grand. II gives one plenty OF en-
ployment." Indeed II will give US so
much TO do we shall have no time
TO condemn others.
The Rule for Motives and Acts"
tChurch Manual. p. <o). which Is
read In all Christian Science
churches once month, urges US 70
resist the temptation TO Judge err
roneously. TO criticize destructively.
But this does not imply that we
should stop criticizing. To criticize
means to estimate. TO choose, TO
separate. So criticism rightly exer-
cised IL good thing. 1t Is essential
TO progress. Indeed you might as
we'll ask man TO stop thinking as
10 stop criticizing. because every idea
that comes into the realm OF con-
seriousness must and does pass be-
fore the judgment seat Of the human
mind. Our Master instructed us TO
Judge not according to the appear
ance." but to Judge righteous judy
ment": and the difference between
what might be called destructive
criticism and constructive criticism
lies largely In the motive behind It.
While what is called destructive
criticism separates the evil from the
good. It dismisses the good and re-
members the evil IL stresses the
fault. 1t dwells upon the failure. II
is always personal. Constructive
criticism. on the other hand. Is i'm
personal It points to a fault only
that II may be remedied. It rejoices
in the correction OF anything wrong.
IT judges by pointing out a better
way. II. too. separates the evil from
the good. dismisses the evil and re-
members and exalts the good. This
Is the judgment Christian Science Is
urging us 10 exercise every moment
OF every day. in order that evil be
ruled out. not only from our doings.
but from our thoughts OF men. OF
ourselves or OF our fellow men. You
see Christian Science not only holds
before us a standard. but II Is show
ing its students how 20 reach IL.
We human beings have been edu-
Gated 10 believe that good and evil
are personal: that good belongs TO
some persons. and evil 10 others. So
a few individuals are thought Of as
little less than gods. and others as
something akin To devils But Chris
tian Science is showing us that the
good qualities we see In our friends
do not originate with them. but are
reflected by them. They come from
the source Of all good. God. Like
wise. the evil qualities which seem
TO be manifested by some are not
created by them. Such persons are
simply allowing themselves to be
temporarily controlled by what Paul
called "the carnal mind" When We
awaken TO see the impersonal nature
OF good and evil. we shall recognize
the futility OF fighting each other In
order TO destroy an impersonal evil.
But someone may say. Did not our
Master say quite definitely that he
"came not TO send peace. but a
sword"7 Yes. rs our textbook points
out %. le). His teaching set house.
holds at variance. and brought 70
material beliefs not peace. but a
sword" Jesus statement shows the
conflict between materially and
spirituality which every one Of us
must face. His teachings were
revolutionary.
This reminds me OF story told
by a well-known writer. Two young
sisters we're having an argument
about which was the last book OF
the Bible. and one was heard TO ex-
claim, Barbara. tell you the Bible
does not end In Timothy: It ends In
Revolutions And I am sure you
will admit that history confirms the
fact thus unwittingly stated. Yes,
the teachings OF our Master are
revolutionary. They demand q COM
plete transformation Of our mental
outlook. Paul puts II thus, BE ys
transformed by the renewing Of your
mind, that ye may prove what Is that
good. and acceptable, and perfect.
will Of God"
But TO continue our discussion OF
the necessity Of peace between indi-
viduals. Our word family" Il de-
rived from q Latin word meaning
servant" May not this imply that
n true sense OF home" rests upon
mutual obligations, and their full
fiilment through love? In dealing
with errors which claim TO disturb
our homes, the utmost tact may be
found necessary. Tact does not
imply, as many people believe. deceit
or fiattery. Webster defines tact"
as sensitive mental perception; nice
discernment OF the best course Of
action under given conditions; esp,
ability to deal with others without
giving offense." We shall best sue
coed In helping others 10 correct
faults Of dienosition N We regard the
error impersonally. that Is. n we do
not attach It to the person. but
recognize II as a falsity which Il
claiming power to express itself
through someone. Then we may be
able to show the individual the utter
powerlessness Of the temptation. and
his ood-given power 10 resist and