Article November 23, 1912 Issue

"A SOUND MIND."

IRVING C. TOMLINSON, M.A.

Students of the Scriptures will be helped in their problems, as they study the words of Paul as found in his second epistle to Timothy: "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Throughout Mrs. Eddy's writings, God is presented as the one perfect Mind. In Science and Health (p. 143) she says, "Mind is the grand creator;" then she bids us "give to Mind the glory, honor, dominion, and power everlastingly due its holy name." Apropos of a "sound mind," Max Muller writes: "As far as we can trace back the footsteps of man, even on the lowest strata of history, we see that the divine gift of a sound and sober intellect belongs to him from the very first; and the idea of a humanity emerging slowly from the depths of an animal brutality can never be maintained again."

Students of Christian Science learn as one of their first lessons that God's gift to His children is an intelligence which is reliable and which should rule. God's man has nothing whatever to do with nervous temperament or nervous exhaustion, since God's every gift to His children is perfect. Christian Science is of great help in showing that divine Mind is the only communicator to man, that diseases are not of God's creating and that He never pronounced them good. Being the outcome of false material sense, they have and should have no lordship over man. This teaching makes it very plain that mankind should at all times manifest self-control, affection, moderation, and kindliness toward all. Mortal mind does great injury in excusing irritability, impatience, eccentricity, and a so-called hasty temper, by ascribing these faults to what it is pleased to name a nervous temperament. To see God, good, reflected by others will tend to make us loving with those who might else annoy and trouble us; and this spiritual insight will aid in putting an end to complaining and rebellious thoughts. If given power in mortal belief, evil of any kind, committed by any one, can but result in harm; therefore the demand of Christian Science that one establish himself in love and truth, is imperative upon all its followers.

The Bible affirms: "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them." A certain cure, then, for so-called nerves and nervousness is love of and hence obedience to God's law and the resultant peace it brings. Lack of self-control or of patience must be due to the absence of that unchanging Love which steadies and heals. The reflection of this Love causes us to manifest gentleness, meekness, and understanding in our conduct with others. Channing wrote: "No power in society, no hardships in your condition can depress you, keep you down, in knowledge, power, virtue, influence, but by your own consent."

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