Article August 5, 1911 Issue

UNDISTURBED

MARTHA HARRIS BOGUE.

THE world is crying for peace, peace among nations, peace in families, peace in the heart. Is it willing to pay the price for it? Surely all who covet peace would do well to consider what the word peace means to them; what the peace they would have might mean to some one else. Peace signifies a state of quiet or tranquillity, calm, repose, security, ease; to rest in confidence, quietness of mind or conscience, and can one be quiet or tranquil if he is fearful, anxious, disturbed? Has he any right to be, if he has work left undone; if he is harboring any wrong thought?

It has been said many times by those who have put their hands to the Christian Science plow, "I thought by being in Christian Science I would find peace; but I seem to be more disturbed than ever. I find more to do than I ever dreamed there could be." Suppose a room dimly lighted by a faint gleam. One comes in and looks it over. There are easy chairs; the room seems richly furnished, spacious; it appears to be very inviting, very comfortable. He heaves a sigh of contentment and sits down to rest. It is very pleasant in this room, and he is quite satisfied to remain there, thinking he has found just what he long has sought. After a time the day begins to break; the light comes in more abundantly, and with its increase the visitor begins to see that the walls and ceiling are cracked, dusty, stained, and the corners full of cobwebs; the furnishings are shabby, faded, moth-eaten, marred; there is vermin everywhere. What is he to do? Shall he cry for the darkness to hide the defects, or welcome the light that has brought the uncovering? take the means he has at hand, go to work, clean and renovate the room, transform it entire by the right renewing? This will mean work, hard, patient, persistent effort on his part, but does any one question that it is worth while?

Science is the search-light of Truth. It reaches every nook and cranny, and will not leave one place for error of any name or nature to hide in: "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things." Respecting this, Mrs. Eddy says, "The prophet referred to divine law as stirring up the belief in evil to its utmost, when bringing it to the surface and reducing it to its common denominator, nothingness" (Science and Health, p. 540). To the deceived thought that would be content with a false sense of peace in the unrenovated room, the light seems trying, it brings disharmony, for it brings to light the objectionable and distressing. Saith the prophet, "The chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes [to our peace] we are healed." The transgression of a false sense of peace and contentment, which is only another name for blindness (ignorance), is upon every one today, and Truth is declaring, "Let there be light."

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