Article September 19, 1908 Issue

THE LAW OF SUPPLY

WALTER SHAW

In "Miscellaneous Writings," by Mrs. Eddy (p. 259), we read that "whatever appears to be law, but partakes not of the nature of God, is not law, but is what Jesus declared it, 'a liar, and the father of it.'" Jesus taught his followers to take no thought for their life—what they should eat, etc.—and illustrated his statement of God's abundant provision by referring to the birds and the flowers, adding, "Ye are of more value than many sparrows." Our human sense of law would argue conditions totally unequal to the supply of humanity's needs, but "either there is no omnipotence, or omnipotence is the only power" (Science and Health, p. 249), and as we grow to realize that our all-powerful God is good, kind, loving, and just, surely we can trust Him to provide for our needs. We must be relying either upon an actually existent spiritual law, or upon a material belief miscalled law, which may any time fail us. Obviously opposite systems, such as the spiritual and the material, cannot both hold power and sway. Certainly one wars against the other, because our human sense of matter is not yet banished, but we can never banish it by relying upon it and making it our support.

We read in the Scriptures that "the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;" thus a perfect law cannot be inefficient, inadequate, or sometimes inoperative. Our faith is based either upon the material or the spiritual, and a divided faith is no faith. Paul pertinently asks, "What a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?" We must "walk by faith," and then in due time we shall be rewarded by seeing "the salvation of our God;" not after death, but now. Our constant temptation is belief in some other power opposed to God; this is humanity's bane, and Christian Science shows the only way by which we can escape from it. Surely every demonstration aids us onward toward a clearer realization of the truth. Because the smaller problems of the past have proved the Principle of divine Science, the harder ones must yield to persistent effort if we continue to work faithfully upon the same basis, that "all is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation" (Science and Health, p. 468).

Material sense argues lack,—a phase of discord,—a condition the reverse of dominion over the earth. At the creation God gave the real man control over all lower conditions, the words in Genesis, 1:28, implying complete authority,—an authority which the teaching and example of Christ Jesus accentuated. He met human conditions as their master; they never controlled him nor appeared to influence this perfect example of the perfect man. As we grow to understand the Mind of Christ, surely we also may exercise this God-given dominion over earthly conditions. What is to prevent it? If there is in reality no matter, there can be no mortal mind. It is evident that divine Mind never produces lack or poverty; then what can? Is mortal mind at any time a lawgiver? Are there two primal causes, one good and one evil? or are we allowing evil to seem a cause and power in our consciousness? If so, we are tacitly denying God's reign and law of perfection. We must know that God is, and we cannot know this until we have actually proved His loving help in time of trouble. We may have hoped, thought, or believed that God is, but to know it is quite a different matter. We must be as sure as Jesus was, when he said, "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it." This is knowledge born of experience, not belief, and we may therefore welcome even adverse conditions, that we may prove more fully the affluence and power of divine Love and Truth.

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A wonderful woman is Mrs. Mary Baker G. Eddy