Editorial January 1, 1910 Issue

"THOU SHALT NOT STEAL"

Annie M. Knott

It is an interesting fact that the more grossly material mortals are, the fainter is their concept of moral obligation, while with an advance in spirituality this obligation takes definite form as statutes which have their root in a divine necessity. To the spiritually minded, obedience to God's law can never bring a sense of bondage; rather does it confer freedom, because, as Mrs. Eddy tells us, "When the Lawgiver was the only law of creation, freedom reigned" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 259). We could never conceive of the divine nature as being fettered by divine law, but instead as finding in this law the fullest scope and expression; and this must be true of man, if he reflects God. We are reminded of the protection and privilege connected with the understanding of law when Christian Scientists are counseled by their Leader to be a law unto themselves. (See Science and Health, p. 442.)

It is very interesting to study the unfolding of the human sense of moral responsibility which is expressed in the book of Exodus, and which follows the giving of the Ten Commandments by Moses. If we take the eighth commandment, "Thou shalt not steal," we find it hedged about with such extraordinary precautions that theft would be supreme folly. Thus we read that if a man stole an ox he had to restore five oxen, and in the case of a sheep four sheep. In some other cases the restitution was to be double the value of the thing taken, and it was evident that this law was no dead letter, for we read that when the prophet brought David's sin home to him by a parable, which assumed the theft of a lamb, the king said without hesitation that the one who was guilty should be made to restore fourfold.

When we come down to the days of the great Teacher we find that with him honesty was ever at a premium. We read that Jesus invited himself to the house of Zaccheus, a rich publican, who assured him that he gave half of his goods to the poor, and who also said, "If I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold." Jesus called him "a son of Abraham," and gave in his house that wonderful parable of "the pounds." We also read that when the rich young man came to Jesus, inquiring the way to eternal life, the Master told him that he should keep the commandments, and he repeated them to this Truth-seeker, who declared that he had kept them from his youth up. Then we read that Jesus loved the young man (evidently because of his purity and honesty), although he was not yet ready to forsake all earthly riches for the things of Spirit.

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