Article February 6, 1915 Issue

Evil a Deception

CLARENCE W. CHADWICK

The intent of evil is and ever has been to deceive. There can be no mistake as to its proper characterization if we study earnestly the words of the great Teacher. In John's gospel we read: "Every one that doeth evil hateth the light." Its activity, therefore, is unholy, which fact of itself ought to satisfy any professing Christian that evil is not of God, and that its activities are not in any way sanctioned by Him. Evil's only hope of success is to get some one to call it good. If Eve had requested the allegorical talking serpent to announce its name, and if it could have been truthful, it would have answered, "I am a lie and the father of the lie," and the problem of evil would have been solved for the world. But this was not and is not the purpose of mesmeric belief in evil. It never tells the truth about itself, but through subtlety and lying would deceive its victim into believing that its claims are reasonable, rational, and legitimate, therefore desirable. And just to the extent that they are admitted to be good, does evil wield its imaginary power over those who believe in it. Evil or mesmerism could not tell the truth about itself, for it has no intelligence. Truth alone can call evil by its right name.

With Jesus' clear-cut definition of evil as "a liar, and the father of it," and his wonderful healing works in proof of its utter powerlessness and unreality, it seems strange that many professing Christians should array themselves against the teachings of Christian Science, which is proving in the same practical way the unreality of evil. If Jesus himself were personally here demonstrating the truth of being as he did in Palestine, he would without doubt encounter the same opposition as in that earlier day. There would be the same effort to oppose him. Why? Because the carnal or mortal mind "is enmity against God," enmity against the manifestation of good which proves evil to be but a worthless counterfeit.

Millions profess belief in God, but put this belief to the test and it is found to be disbelief in the omnipotence of God. They claim to have faith, but it is too often far from being faith in God. It is "faith without works," which the apostle declares to be "dead." It is found in practice that such so-called faith is often more vehemently opposed to Christian healing than that lack of faith which makes no outward profession of religion. Those who think they have no God, are generally glad to acknowledge the practical proof of a Supreme Being in the demonstration over sin and disease. They are quite ready to admit that no one could perform such works unless God were with him. A professed infidel once applied to a practitioner for help in Christian Science, remarking that he did not believe in a God, but from what he had seen accomplished for a neighbor he saw no reason why Christian Science could not do as much for him. He was asked whether he was willing to do whatever was required of him. He said he was. He accordingly purchased a copy of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, and began to read it thoughtfully. The result was, that he experienced quick healing and early became a stanch advocate of Christian Science. Others professing faith in God have often wondered why their own healing seemed to be more protracted, notwithstanding the fact of their reluctance to read a book which might from their view-point conflict with the Bible, besides their objection to making any return for the practitioner's time unselfishly given them.

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