Editorial May 9, 1908 Issue

THE ACTIVITY OF LAW

Annie M. Knott

In the Christian Science Sunday Schools all pupils are required to learn the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, and the Lord's Prayer with its spiritual interpretation as given on page 16 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, and teachers and pupils alike will find in this work the applicability of our revered Leader's counsel found on page 495 of our textbook. In answer to the question, "How can I progress most rapidly in the understanding of Christian Science?" she says: "Study thoroughly the letter and imbide the spirit." A slipshod recitation of any lesson by a pupil indicates a mental condition which needs to be corrected, for otherwise all work is apt to be poorly done and failure follow the undertakings which ought to be crowned with success. Even very young pupils in our Sunday Schools can understand that their health as well as their progress is dependent upon right mental conditions, as these prove a response to the divine activity. The faithful study of God's law prepares the soil for the seed of Truth, and in due season we have "the fruit of the Spirit."

We should all remember that divine law is ceaselessly active. Were it otherwise, there could be no safety nor security anywhere, and the discords of mortal experience but prove a failure to recognize or respond to the activity of this law. The declarations of the truth which are made by Christian Scientists awaken a sense of this activity, – actually seem to set the law in motion, – although in fact the law has never ceased to be operative, but the human response is often lacking.

The human method of enforcing the provisions of the Decalogue is by pains and penalties, while in Christian Science the understanding of the ceaseless activity of God's law overcomes every difficulty and rights every wrong where it is faithfully and persistently applied. This may be illustrated by the following experiences. One night the house of a Christian Scientist was entered and robbed, also the adjoining house, which was occupied by a clergyman. The Scientists at once began to declare the power and activity of divine law, as addressed to human thought in the statute, "Thou shalt not steal." The result was that in about two weeks every article taken was restored to the Science family, but without the identity of the dishonest person being discovered.

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