Article April 5, 1913 Issue

OBEDIENCE TO RULE

HARRY I. HUNT.

All through the book of Proverbs we find strong emphasis placed upon the value of understanding. The wise teacher again and again urges upon man the necessity for it, as "good understanding giveth favor," he says; and Mrs. Eddy has thrown the light full upon this precept in her statement: "The understanding of Truth and Love, the Principle which works out the ends of eternal good and destroys both faith in evil and the practise of evil, leads to the discernment of the divine idea" (Science and Health, p. 561).

Turning back in thought to our school-days, we can easily recall our early struggles in the study of mathematics. At the very beginning, we were obliged to accept the basic law of addition on faith; and we discovered that by faith in the law and by obedience to the rule laid down, we were soon able to demonstrate that two and two make four everywhere, under all circumstances. As we gained understanding by the practise of the rule, we learned another thing: we did not have to furnish the answer to our problems, since for every problem the solution was already at hand, and as we followed the rule, we were able to demonstrate, to bring out or manifest, the correct result. Obedience to rule was imperative.

Let us apply this illustration to the rule laid down by Jesus, whereby we may work out our own problem of supply, for it is simple and clear in statement, and as absolute as any rule of mathematics. Jesus said: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." This is a rule of addition, to be worked out in the order given; namely, we must seek first all rightness, and then mark the sureness of the result: all needful things shall be added unto us. The good things already provided are to be added, not to be taken or sought for or struggled for, but "added unto you," as the result of obedience to the rule.

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