Editorial March 16, 1912 Issue

LOST OR FOUND

Annie M. Knott

The nature and potentialities of Soul are a matter of vital interest to students of Christian Science, as well may be the case when we recall the words of Christ Jesus, "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" It was once believed that one might make a compact with Satan, and for some temporal consideration surrender his soul to the eternal custody of the devil. While few, perhaps, would now state the case in just this way, the same opinion is practically held by many, although they would probably hesitate if they were asked to describe that which would be lost by a concession to evil.

In other words, how many would dare affirm that they had ever found the soul, or that it in any essential way controlled their thoughts, words, or deeds. It is even questioned by many at the present time whether man has a soul, and a few years ago an eminent nerve specialist publicly announced his conviction that no such thing existed, his opinion being based upon the fact that neither scalpel nor microscope had ever disclosed any trace of soul in body. It may therefore be fairly asked how one could lose that which he never consciously possessed. In spite, however, of the denials of materialism, mortals cling to the idea of soul, and fear to lose that which they no more understand than does the babe a precious jewel which attracts its gaze. Too long have men believed that the soul was "a divine spark" which was put into a material body, there to sin and suffer and finally to be expelled by the decree of mortal mind. Many of our poets have echoed the popular belief respecting the soul, Longfellow in "The Slave's Dream" referring to the body as

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

LOST OR FOUND

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access