Article August 14, 1909 Issue

It is very true that to the human sense of things, sickness,...

John L. Rendall

Iowa City (Ia.) Republican.

It is very true that to the human sense of things, sickness, sorrow, discord, evil of various sorts, seem to abound and to counterfeit reality, but the hope and expectancy of all Christian people is that some day, under some circumstances, that which is real will be so manifested as to destroy forever these phases of mortal belief. There is a hope existent within each individual of something better, of something beyond the merely material, and this hope has found its expression in the prevalent teachings concerning the kingdom of heaven, wherein it is recognized that all must be and is spiritually and infinitely good. Jesus said: "The kingdom of God is within you." Mrs. Eddy's statement that "God [Spirit] is All" (Science and Health, p. 366), is identical with the Scriptural statement, "I am God [Spirit], and there is none else."

This assertion of the allness of Spirit does not destroy anything, but resolves all things into their true condition and identity, namely, that of spiritual reality, perfection, and permanency. It is clearly recognized that every mortal or material concept is subject to destruction, to disintegration, to complete annihilation; it therefore remains as an evident fact that if there be anything permanent it must be in the realm of the spiritual. The mortal concept called matter will at some time be displaced by a diviner sense of things, wherein matter appears and the reality of Spirit is made manifest. In this nothing is lost, but all is gained.

It is not expected by Christian Scientists that this will be brought about very soon. The Bible teaching is "line upon line; here a little, and there a little." Through clearer concepts of the "realities supernal" Christian Scientists are gaining more of that which is worth while, more of that which constitutes the real man in his relation to God; and to the extent of this spiritual growth man finds himself, not subject to the so-called conditions of matter, but as St. Paul puts it, subject to "the higher powers," finding herein that "there is no power but of God."

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