Editorial August 17, 1912 Issue

STRENGTH, HOW ATTAINED?

Annie M. Knott

Thoughtful people all discover, sooner or later, that strength is an indispensable factor of health, harmony, and success. It is therefore of the utmost importance to know how it is to be gained and maintained. Few would deny that weakness of character leads inevitably to mental and physical suffering on the part of the one who yields to it, while many others whose early tendencies are by no means evil, may become channels for wrong-doing because they have not the moral strength to resist the suggestions of error at each step of the way, until they arouse themselves to the demands of Truth and a final victory is gained, when evil ceases to assail them. Those who have moral and spiritual strength are equal to any emergency which may arise, whether it be mental or physical, and according to promise such as these "go from strength to strength."

It is deeply interesting to "search the Scriptures," in order to find therein, especially in the Psalms, the many references to the divine source of strength, from the solemn warning which tells of "the man that made not God his strength" up to Isaiah's joyful assurance respecting those who wait upon the Lord,—that they shall "mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Then when we come to Paul's writings we find some new and vital lessons on this subject. It is, however, more than likely that in spite of his close acquaintance with the Scripture, he had not thought of making the Bible statements practical until after he had felt the quickening influence of "the Spirit of truth," and the same may be said of those who are awakened to spiritual being in Christian Science; but when this awakening comes, the spiritually-minded instinctively turn to God for strength to live, to think, to resist every temptation to yield either to sin or sickness.

Paul, as a prisoner in the Roman garrison at Cæsarea, had been closely associated with the soldiers there, many of whom became Christians under his teaching, while he, on his part, learned from them of the courage and faithfulness needed in order to be a true soldier. In his epistle to the Ephesians he writes: "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might;" then he goes on to outline the steps which must be taken to insure perfect victory. He does not hesitate to uncover the wiles and subtleties of the carnal mind, which vainly arrogates to itself the right to rule amid mortal darkness, and the further menace of "spiritual wickedness in high places." This is explained by our revered Leader, who says, "The serpent is perpetually close upon the heel of harmony. From the beginning to the end, the serpent pursues with hatred the spiritual idea;" but she goes on to say that this has "only impelled the idea to rise to the zenith of demonstration, destroying sin, sickness, and death, ... to be found in its divine Principle" (Science and Health, pp. 564, 565).

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STRENGTH, HOW ATTAINED?

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