Editorial September 3, 1910 Issue

THE ONE MIND

Annie M. Knott

THERE is no part of the teaching of Christian Science which is of such vital importance as its steady insistence that in reality there is but one Mind, and that God, infinite Love. This truth was presented to the Hebrew people in the words, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord," and Jesus laid special emphasis upon this declaration by making it introductory to that which he called "the first of all the commandments," namely, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength." In Science and Health (p. 183) we read: "Divine Mind rightly demands man's entire obedience, affection, and strength. No reservation is made for any lesser loyalty." This accepted, we are free to dispute and resist all the aggressions of evil belief, for these have no place as facts or factors in the one Mind.

Outside of the Christ-teaching, as made known to humanity in this age by Mrs. Eddy, there is an almost universal belief in many minds, all holding widely differing views respecting God, man, and the universe. Thus we find Paul saying that "the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom." Again, he tells us of different opinions as to what should be eaten; while "one man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike;" but he earnestly beseeches his hearers to overcome these divisions, to the effect, as he adds, "that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind;" and this doubtless meant that Mind "which was also in Christ Jesus."

It is very interesting to note the different mental conditions of those who come to Christian Science, nearly all of them being in the critical mood and few willing to investigate at all until the unanswerable argument of its healing work is presented to them. Even this does not go very far with some people, for of old the cavilers said of the Master's work, "By the prince of devils casteth he out devils." They quite forgot that this work was the very thing which their own prophets had foretold, even as some religionists today overlook the fact that Christ Jesus required of his followers that they should work as he worked, up to the extinction of all belief in evil, with its manifestations in sin, disease, and death. There are, however, many others who feel the force of this demand, and who "hunger and thirst after righteousness," and for such the cobwebs of false belief and misrepresentation are sooner or later swept aside, as they begin to recognize the divine Principle of Christian Science. To such the teachings of Christian Science are no longer "a stumbling-block" or "foolishness," to quote St. Paul, but instead they present as in his time "the power of God, and the wisdom of God."

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