Editorial January 28, 1905 Issue

Endurance

Annie M. Knott

It is generally conceded that, with the passing of the years, some of the old-time virtues which could ill be spared have been given a minor place in the estimate of mankind. Doubtless this is largely due to the fact that it is now comparatively easy to indulge all the reasonable demands of personal comfort without calling into exercise the more sturdy elements of character. Prominent among the Christian virtues is one which finds frequent and honorable mention in the Scriptures; namely endurance, which the dictionaries define as the ability "To remain firm . . . to continue under pain or distress without being overcome." In the Bible it is made clear that the Divine name and nature,—all the Divine qualities,—shall "endure forever," and Christian Science teaches that in Divine consciousness there is no struggle with opposing elements, since God and His manifestation constitute and include the all of being. It is only in the knowledge of this eternal fact that we can properly understand and respond to the inspiring words of the Master and the apostles which make endurance an all-important factor in the emergence of the race from its self-imposed bondage to sin, disease, and death. The pity is that the real significance of the word is so generally misunderstood that it has almost come to mean submission to some phase of error. The Apostle James says, "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation," which clearly means that he is blessed who passes through temptation and is unaffected by it,—remains firm in his loyalty to right, and is able to give proof of its supremacy over wrong in whatever form it may assail him. "He that endureth unto the end, the same shall be saved," said Jesus, and he knew, because he had proved the powerlessness of evil to pierce the armor of him who is allied with Truth. To such as he the poet's words apply,—

Who seems a promontory of rock,
That, compassed round with turbulent sound,

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