Article September 30, 1911 Issue

"LEAD US."

ABBIE W. GRIFFIN.

The significance of two words, repeated by every congregation at every Christian Science service in the world, is of vast import, and if used intelligently and with right motive, they must prove a mighty help to all humanity. These two words are in the Lord's Prayer, "Lead us." Now the real man, God's likeness, is always led by Spirit, for "real consciousness is congnizant only of the things of God" (Science and Health, p. 276). This is the model for which we should strive in human experience.

"God leadeth us not into temptation," is the spiritual interpretation of this petition as given in our text-book (p. 17). Should we not then cease to think of this prayer in the old way, "Lead us not into temptation," when the emphasis really belongs to the words "lead us"? This brings out the higher significance of the Christian Science teaching. "Lead us;" that is, "deliver us." This is surely the central thought. To be led by Spirit means sure deliverance from all evil. Thus we overcome the temptation to believe that evil is real and true. To be led by Spirit is to be conscious of man's unity with God, to know that "the tabernacle of God is with men," and that they are His people; it lifts thought into the realm of infinite Mind, and enables one to reflect Truth in daily living; it heals the sick and casts out devils or evils; it eliminates the selfishness which believes in a life, intelligence, and power apart from God, which is the sin of the world. To be led by Spirit means the evangelization of human selfhood; the enthronement in human consciousness of the one perfect Mind, which redeems the world. This extends the limited view of mortals from material sense to the unlimited capacities of the real man, who has dominion over the whole earth.

Said our Master, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me;" and in Science and Health we read, "There is but one real attraction, that of Spirit" (p. 102). In the measure that we lift up in thought and deed the spirit of Christ's life-work, will we attract humanity to that infinite Principle, divine Love, which meets every human need. Christian Science is indeed as a city set on a hill, which cannot be hid. Christian Scientists have a mighty work to do,—so to live, individually and collectively, the spirit of Love, as to help bring about the fulfilment of the Scripture prophecy, "The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."

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