Law

FLORENCE L. KENT.

It seems strange that the world persists in thinking it can go on living in a hit—or—miss, happy—go—lucky kind of way and have harmonious results.

All are agreed that it would be foolish for a person who was unwilling to abide by the rules of arithmetic to attempt to solve its problems, nor would we expect the composer to make a correct composition unless he were willing to conform to the rules of harmony. A large part of the world, however, has been blindly living along from day to day, breaking God's laws at every turn, and vainly expecting things somehow to right themselves. On the other hand, many have patiently submitted to all kinds of discordant conditions without realizing that these are as unnecessary as is discord in music or mistakes in mathematics. To be sure, it requires study and persistent application to eliminate all errors, but we have courage to begin our work when we learn that errors are not inevitable.

The teacher says to a pupil in mathematics, You have a basic law and rule which you must always use, though you may not get a perfect result the first trial or the second. You certainly can do nothing without adhering to this basic law and rule as given. When, however, it comes to the Science of Life,—the most important of all sciences,—we find people unwilling to admit that there is a right and scientifc way which is in accordance with law, and which will bring about correct results.

The refusal to admit this implies a belief in one of two things, either that there is no intelligent government of the universe, or that this intelligence is not reliable.

Our Leader defines salvation as follows: "Life, Truth, and Love, understood and demonstrated as supreme over al sin, sickness, and death destroyed" (Science and Health p. 593). Can we imagine a more perfect or satisfactory fulfilment of law? It is possible for us to realize this, and at once, if we are willing to work for it, and we should be inspired to reach out for the laws which must govern us in our work, and find them.

How shall we demonstrate that Life is supreme over all? The Bible tells us that to be spiritually minded is life and peace, and that "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long—suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." In the proportion that we are bringing forth this fruit, are we proving that "Life is supreme over all," and in the same proportion we destroy the carnal mind which is death. John says, "We Know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." Thus we can clearly see that we may prove Life to be supreme over all by acquiring that mind of Christ, which is not subject to material law. In speaking of this so—called law. Paul says. "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."

How, then, shall we go to work to prove that Life and Truth are supreme over all? Jesus said, "I am the way. the truth, and the life." On page 474 of Science and Health we find, "To Truth there is no error; all is Truth." If Christ is of Truth there is no error in him, and therefore if we let that Mind be in us "which was also in Christ Jesus" there will be no error in us ; all will be of Truth.

It remains for us to demonstrate that Love is supreme over all. How do we prove that a house will shelter us from the storm? By living in it. In the proportion that we live in Love are we protected from hatred, anger, fear, etc. This brings to our notice the new commandment of Jesus which includes all the law. It is "That ye love one another, as I have loved you." We must be willing to lay down our false sense of life with its material pleasures, pains, beliefs, and laws, and the false self which constantly wars against spirituality.

Mrs. Eddy says in the Annual Message of 1902, "Since God is Love, and infinite, why should mortals conceive of a law, propound a question, formulate a doctrine, or speculate on the existence of anything which is an antipode of infinite Love and the manifestation thereof?. . . . The knowledge of life, substance, or law, apart or other than God—Good—is forbidden."

Our text—book says, "To be 'with the Lord' is to be in obedience to the law of God, to be absolutely governed by divine Love, by Spirit, not by matter" (Science and Health p. 14).

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