Article May 30, 1903 Issue

The Children of Disobedience

WILLARD S. MATTOX.

IT requires no technical, military training to understand that the best soldier in the ranks is that one who has, among other things, the greatest confidence in the ability of his commanding officer. Tennyson has made glorious the service of unquestioning obedience, but the pathos and penalty which the world has read into the immortal lines of "The Charge of the Light Brigade," have deterred many from yielding a ready consent to commands which may mean suffering. There is, indeed, a note of sadness in the blind obedience to authority which is fallible and unproved in its wisdom, but obedience is not a task, when one can say, "I know whom I have believed." The unit in the ranks who doubts the intelligence and experience of his leader, would better be out of the ranks. He makes for insubordination and disorganization, and is a foe to the integrity, cohesiveness, and success of the body.

The man who thinks he knows enough to do anything better than he who has charge of an undertaking, is not a good server, He cannot be instructed, and because he is "wise in his own conceit," there is no mental avenue through which he can be approached. An unwillingness to obey usually means self-love, self-righteousness, or mad and headstrong self-will and ambition. Such qualities of the human mind make men poor soldiers and equally poor Christian Scientists. The Adam race has been notorious for its unwillingness to obey God, for its stiff-necked refusal to hear His word, and for its presumption in giving information to the All-Wise. The unruly mind, impatient of correction or command, is unpromising material for instruction. In business, the employe who feels that he could run the business better than the firm is doing it, receives commands reluctantly and does his work ineffectively, or fails entirely. Arrogance is fatal to progress and success.

In the Christian life, the false belief that man has a mind of his own, that he thinks his own thoughts, and that these thoughts are sufficient, this theory, in practice, has led to sin, sickness, and death. In Science and Health, p. 263, Mrs. Eddy says, "Mortals are egotists. They believe themselves to be independent workers, personal authors, and even privileged originators of something which Deity would not or could not create. The creations of mortal mind are mortal." In the practice of Christian Science, experience teaches that the healing truth comes not swiftly to the thought which is self-satisfied and unwilling to learn. Jesus said, "Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein. This should be enough for all learners who are following in his steps, but we need many lessons, apparently, to give us that simple trust which will reveal the mental realm of harmony and peace.

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