Article December 11, 1915 Issue

True Courage

WILLIAM D. MC CRACKAN, M.A.

No valid excuse for discouragement exists in God's universe. No element of failure, disappointment, or limitation can find lodgment therein, for harmony and spiritual satisfaction characterize His creation. Discouragement could only arise from a mistaken sense of the reality of evil. The admission that evil has power, law, being, force, or execution must necessarily discourage the pilgrim on the road from sense to Soul; whereas the spiritual perception of evil's essential unreality encourages the wayfarer to persevere and rejoice. Christian Science is a mighty power in behalf of courage for humanity. Where else except in the pages of the Bible and of the Christian Science text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, can the modern man and woman find assurance that God governs and that He is wholly good?

The Bible message of good cheer is intelligible, but it needs to be spiritually discerned in order that the suggestion of a seeming power opposed to the divine Mind may be dispelled. The Christian Science text-book is needed in conjunction with the Bible in order that God may be realized as the maker of good, and of good only. This is one of the many benefits rendered humanity by Christian Science, that it discloses the hidden treasures of the Bible and makes its history, prophecy, and precept available for individual uplift and salvation. Nothing, for instance, can be more discouraging to the Christian than to be told that he must follow in the footsteps of the great Master and be assured at the same time that Jesus was endowed with special miraculous powers which ceased with his disappearance from the earth. The Christian so taught naturally asks how he can possibly emulate the Galilean Prophet if the latter's equipment for spiritual warfare was designed for himself alone. This teaching has reacted upon his would-be followers and has discouraged them from trying to obey his command to "heal the sick, cleanse lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils." Christian Science, by proving his works to be normal and scientific, encourages Christians to imitate them as best they may, and thus fit themselves to carry out the Master's injunctions.

On occasions the best schooled human being is betrayed into showing discouragement, unless he is supported by spiritual understanding. If the passing show of human activity, experience, sorrow, suffering, fictitious joy is viewed dispassionately, the reasons for discouragement seem far to outweigh those for gratitude and rejoicing. So far as mere material existence is concerned, it presents only spasmodic moments of satisfaction, and such moments are apt to be quickly superseded by periods of doubt and depression. There is little to stimulate the joy of living when human life is conceded to be exposed to the assaults of numberless foes. The material body is recognized as a most complicated and easily deranged piece of machinery. The so-called mind within the cranium has a precarious place of residence and quickly shows signs of being unbalanced when subjected to excep tional strain. Most of the occupations by which humanity seeks to feed and clothe itself are exposed to sudden disturbances. Frequent alarms pass through human consciousness as to its own safety, and bring in their train epidemics and mysterious diseases of physique as well as of the mentality.

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