Editorial February 24, 1912 Issue

IF THINE EYE BE SINGLE

Archibald McLellan

Christ Jesus declared the infiniteness, the allness of God's kingdom, and evil's consequent nothingness and powerlessness, in the closing sentence of that wonderfully comprehensive prayer, so full of significance today to Christian Scientists, which he taught his followers nineteen centuries ago: "Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever." It was in his exposition of this prayer that he exhorted his followers to seek "first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things [the so-called essentials of existence] shall be added."

There could be no more pertinent illustration of this teaching than is briefly set forth in the chronicles of King Solomon. We are told that he "loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father;" and that when he was bidden to ask of God a gift, his prayer was, "Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart," a request which was so pleasing to God that He bestowed upon Solomon not only the wise and understanding heart he desired, but the things he had not asked for,—riches and honor and length of days. This, then, is the "kingdom of God" we are bidden to seek first, to desire above all other things, the wisdom and understanding whereby we may lay hold on the knowledge of God's omnipotence and ever-presence, through which is made manifest the supremacy of Truth in the overcoming of sin, disease, and death; and in so doing lay up for ourselves not only the promised "treasures in heaven," the boon of eternal life, but find, in recompense for all that is given up in the way of worldly possessions for the Master's sake, "an hundredfold now in this time."

Following in the Master's footsteps, Mrs. Eddy writes on page 183 of Science and Health, "Divine Mind rightly demands man's entire obedience, affection, and strength. No reservation is made for any lesser loyalty." From this it should be clear to Christian Scientists that for them there can be no halting between two opinions, no divided service; they must not "expect to work equally with Spirit and matter, Truth and error" (Science and Health, p. 167). There must be a definite and emphatic adherence to Principle in all ways, if the kingdom which Jesus said is within is to be made manifest in the lives of men. Loyalty to Principle must appear in thought, word, and deed. Behind every great achievement there must be a singleness of purpose, an absolute consecration of endeavor, and there is no higher, holier end, no endeavor worthier of the best that is in us, than a whole-hearted devotion to the work inaugurated by the Master,—the establishment of God's kingdom in the hearts of men, that reliance on the power of Truth to deliver from all evil, before which all the asserted power of the enemy shall go down like stubble before the consuming fire. Only through thus striving can we hope for that spiritual illumination which shall manifest to the world that we are children of the light, and bring down upon us the floodtide of riches and honor and glory that is man's divine heritage.

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