The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1945-07-06
s-s.--@.4sss
"Whet men stand
together"

"A picked up and borne into camp
in the arms of another soldier,
whom he had scarcely known. De-
scribing this unsettled deed, a news
paper editorial pointed out the "one-
ness of each mans life with that Of
any other fellows i'm the outfit" and
followed with this timelesS observa-
ton: when men stand together in
a common cause this unity lives
and breathes, fine and daily
thing"
The importance of recognizing
this oneness with our fellows was
strongly emphasized by Christ Jesus
in a parable. A lawyer had asked
him what he should do to inherit
eternal life. Jesus asked him how
he understood the law. The lawyer
summed it up as the command to
love God Supremacy and ones neigh
Dor as oneself. Jesus said U.uke
1929, "This do, and thou shalt
live" Whereupon he asked of
Jesus, sand who is my neighbour"
Then the Master, in order to illus
trate exactly his point. replied with
the parable of the good Samaritan.
Thus the lawyer listened to an ac-
count of mans life being saved by
a stranger with whom he had no
connection, and upon whose serv-
ices he had no call.
When Jesus asked the lawyer who
was neishbOr to the man whose life
he had saved, he responded, "He
that Showed mercy on him." So
Jesus concluded the discussion and
summed up the lesson with the
simple direction, "Go, and do thou
likewise"
When men have stood together,
inspired by the same high purpose,
the unity achieved has become ga
fine and daily thing" Where they
have been found pulling only for
themselves, for individual gain and
self-aggrandizement, the results
have been disunity, disappointment,
and even despair.
The Discoverer and Founder of
Christian Science, Mary Baker
Eddy, has written of this phase of
thought in Science and Health with
Key to the Scriptures" Up. 205) !:
"Selfishness tips the beam of human
existence towards the side of error,
not towards Truth. Denial of the
oneness of Mind throws our weight
into the scale, not of Spirit, God,
good, but of matter"
What is it that makes men per-
form selfless deeds, risk their lives
and possessions for each other?
What is the underlying impulse that
makes men stand together as neigh
bors? Some years after the parable
of the good Samaritan had been
spoken, Paul, an ardent follower of
the way as taught by Christ Jesus,
was working with deep devotion to
these teachings to enlighten all
those who would listen to his
preaching of the new doctrine.
Writing to the Christians in Rome,
whose faith he commended, he made
this observation (Romans 1929:
1--WE know that all things work to-
gether for good to them that love
God, to them who are the called ac-
cording to his purpose" :.
Standing together may seem at
first consideration to require NUM-
bers, or at least more than one in
dividual, but since God is ever
present, and man, His image and
likeness, can therefore never be sep
arated from Him, no one need ever
think he is not supported by this
oneness and unity. For, though one
be quite alone, even though he see
no human agency to stand with him
or to support him, he has divine
Love ever at his side. 81 will
strengthen thee; yea, will help
thee; yea, will uphold thee with
the right hand of my Righteousness"
is Gods promise Isaiah Al 100.
AS men learn to rely on the sup
port of Gods sustaining presence
and the consciousness of their unity
with the Father becomes "a fine and
daily thing" they increase their
own capacity for helpfulness to
their fellow men. -Ihe Chris
tidn Science Monitor.