Editorial December 14, 1912 Issue

SPIRITUAL RESPONSIBILITY

Annie M. Knott

Although mortals have widely differing opinions about many things, all who are above the plane of actual savagery are agreed that certain moral requirements are equally binding upon all men, specifically the provisions of the Decalogue, which safeguard the lives, property, and reputations of mankind. No one would have the hardihood to say, "Oh, yes, the commandments are all very well, an excellent provision for people in general; but I make no profession of religion, hence I should not be judged in this connection." Every intelligent person would readily see and admit that existence would be impossible without the protection of law, although, unfortunately, the general concept of the scope of moral law is very limited. Christian Science, however, opens our eyes to the fact that the moral law may be likened to a two-edged sword: that if we fail to heed its righteous import in our dealings with others we shall miss the protection which divine law ever gives, and we shall wound ourselves whenever we are heedless of the rights of others.

If we were to ask either a child or an adult, "Upon whom are the ten commandments binding?" we might have to wait for a reply. There are few who understand the universality of all law which springs from divine Principle, and that divine law is not only as essential to our existence as the air we breathe, but that it is wholly beneficent in all its activity, springing as it does from divine Love. This is made clear by Mrs. Eddy, who tells us of "the active, allwise, wise, law-creating, law-disciplining, law-abiding Principle, God" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 206). She also says, "In the spiritual Genesis of creation. all law was vested in the Lawgiver, who was a law to Himself. In divine Science, God is One and All; and, governing Himself, He governs the universe" (p. 258). The demand, therefore, rests upon "every man" to do right; none are exempt from this requirement.

It is, however, rather surprising how many people there are who shirk the question of spiritual responsibility because they fail to see that without spiritual awakening the demands of the moral law can never be truly met. Paul admits this when he says that "the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." But he does not stop there: he tells us that when we awaken to spiritual reality, "the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit [our spiritual sense], that we are the children of God." When this awakening comes God's law is no longer proscriptive to us but purely protective, and we begin to say, "I delight to do thy will, O my God." It matters not that mortal sense may choose evil rather than good, the Christ forever says, as Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Ye must be born again" (not may be, but must be). Who would be foolish enough to say, "I do not choose to be a sharer in the sunshine or any other gift of God!" Mortals, alas, do this very thing, so far as spiritual blessings are concerned, but all the while the spiritual sense is crying out for God and will never be satisfied with aught less.

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