Article September 11, 1902 Issue

By Faith, not by Sight

M. R. S.

If St. Paul and his brethren walked by faith and not by sight, of course every consistent Christian should do the same. I thought I belonged to this class of consistent Christians, but I confess it never seemed necessary to apply the words of the text practically.

Paul says, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen," which was just so much Greek to me until I learned in Science and Health that faith is a quality of Mind, spiritual understanding; and sight in the text refers to material sense. Now for the application. Paul tells me to look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen, more Greek— the first part seemed clear, but what are the unseen things? Oh! I see now, and begin to take a few faltering steps by faith by looking at the unseen things. Here are some of them: God is Supreme Being; man is His image and likeness. God is Spirit; man is spiritual. God is Life; man lives.

I start out, and the very first thing sight (material sense) says, "I am not well." I meet a man, he is sick, so misery has company; another is dishonest, and I am afraid; and here is a cripple and there a murderer. Poverty, sin, and misery abound. I forget, I am not to walk by sight but by faith which says, "I am God's perfect idea and cannot be sick, neither can any other be different from me. The universe is spiritual and peopled by spiritual ideas. (Science and Health). Divine Love governs. I am not afraid. Poverty, sin, and misery have no place in divine Mind, which is the source of all supply. I am conscious only of the things of God. The feeble steps grow stronger, the way brighter, and the heart is lighter, for thought is right.

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