Article August 12, 1905 Issue

What is Obedience?

JAMES B. MERRITT.

UNQUESTIONABLY the greatest theme presented in the sacred writings is that of love, but closely allied to this is the thought of obedience; indeed, the one without the other is impossible of manifestation. Jesus said, "If a man love me, he will keep my words," so obedience was to be the proof of love; and he said further, "My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him," thus promising the sweet presence and consciousness of Love as a reward for keeping his sayings.

Unless we are daily striving to live in obedience to the demands of Truth and Love, it is obvious that we cannot be in any measure of harmony therewith. We shall bear no good fruit unless we abide in the vine. "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing" (Rev. Ver.), and if we are seeing through a glass darkly, because of our lack of love and obedience, which would dispel the clouds of sense, although the Father's work is forever being done, and His kingdom is continually coming, we can have no part in its manifestation. If we would have our part in bringing about the world's at-one-ment with Truth and Love, we must press along the same pathway as has our beloved Leader, Mrs. Eddy, and in loving devotion to the same Principle, we must look beyond all personal sense and discern the true Saviour, the spiritual life-link between God and humanity.

What folly it would be for any army, no matter how strong it were numerically, to go into battle even with a weak foe, if each soldier had his own ideas of how the fight should be conducted, what sort of weapon he should use, and should insist on attacking the enemy whenever and wherever there seemed a chance to strike a blow, regardless of what his comrades were doing or what the commander saw was the wisest course to pursue. Such an army would ultimately be destroyed.

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