Article July 15, 1911 Issue

THE ALL-KNOWING

CLARENCE W. CHADWICK.

The indisputable logic of Christian Science is rapidly dissipating the superficial argument of theologians, that because God is all-knowing He must be conscious of evil. It is gradually leading humanity to forsake its material or limited view-point and to accept the spiritual or divinely natural, from which it is beginning to catch clear glimpses of reality. These glimpses are so satisfying, accompanied as they are with quieting demonstrations of control over human conditions, as to require no further argument to convince one of the teaching of Christian Science, that God's view-point is the only one susceptible of scientific demonstration.

The very first steps of the Christian learner will be the struggle to think as God would have him think. If he attempts to approach divinity from the mortal standpoint of the reality and continuity of evil, his efforts at right thinking are likely to be barren of practical results. On the contrary, if he forsakes his own limited view-point and humbly and honestly acknowledges the infinitude of God's knowledge and power, he will readily and naturally find himself conforming to the channels of right thinking. He will find that a correct mental attitude toward God is the one thing needful to ensure his entrance into the realm of correct thinking, the kingdom of heaven or harmony. If through any human belief, theory, or doctrine he assents to the supposition that evil or materiality is a component of the all-knowing Mind which is God, he cannot hope to realize a large measure of power to demonstrate over his belief in evil. It is because of this erroneous concept of Deity that humanity today and in all ages has believed itself to be in the merciless grasp of matter and its assumed laws.

In its presentation of spiritual truth to the world, Christian Science can say in the words voiced by the prophet Isaiah, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." The materialist cannot hold to his materialism and at the same time understand spiritual truth. Until he surrenders his own view-point, from which human knowledge appears on a par with divine knowledge or understanding, he cannot advance into the realm of reality. The pure teaching of spiritual truth is above his head until he is willing and ready to admit that his material thinking is wrong and God's alone is right. He must see that good only can exist in the Mind of God; in other words, that good is infinite and therefore omnipotent, not finite and temporal. This will lead inevitably to the next step in the line of spiritual advancement, the acknowledgement of the allness of God and the nothingness of evil or matter.

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