AWARENESS OF OUR ENEMY

John B. Willis

The history of nations and of men pictures many a defeat which was directly due to avoidable ignorance regarding the character of the so-called enemy and his point of attack. It may be difficult sometimes to "spy out" the opposing forces, but a wise commander will do his best to accomplish this, and, failing in his efforts, he will endeavor to provide for any situation that may possibly present itself.

Seeking to equip his disciples for the struggle before them and their cause, Christ Jesus said much to them of the supposed nature of evil and its assaults, and in a similar way St. Paul sought to save the early Christians from mistakes that might grow out of a failure to apprehend the character and presentment of this enemy. Thus, when writing to the Ephesians, he counseled them that they be fully awake to "the wiles of the devil;" for, said he, "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

This matter of alertness to the false claims of evil, their true inwardness and outcome in human belief, receives an emphasis in Christian Science which to many seems quite out of harmony with its fundamental teaching respecting the nothingness of evil. These good people would not be tempted to ridicule, however, by the fact that a teacher made himself familiar with the false point of view which was hindering the progress of his pupil, and no more should they criticize Scientists because of their endeavor to be awake to the presence and procedure of false belief, that they may be prepared to checkmate its every move.

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