Article October 14, 1916 Issue

Spiritual Preparedness

CARRIE LEE POOLE

MUCH is being said at this time on the subject of preparedness. It is discussed by individuals and the press with reference to national defense against a hostile invasion. If the world is ever going to be at peace it will be only through obedience to the divine command, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." If this commandment were obeyed in individual consciousness, it would bring peace within and also throughout the whole world. Our warfare and preparedness would then become spiritual, not carnal, and the light of spiritual illumination would shed its radiance over all nations and peoples. Sooner or later the whole human race must learn of man's unity with God, and retreat into spiritual selfhood and build on everlasting foundations. Man made in the image of God and fashioned after the divine likeness possesses no other consciousness than that which is allied to the divine.

Mrs. Eddy has written in "Unity of Good" (p. 21), "If we observe our mental processes, we shall find that we are perpetually arguing with ourselves; yet each mortal is not two personalities, but one." This warfare between good and evil goes on, until the same Mind "which was also in Christ Jesus" is recognized to be the true consciousness and man's individuality as "hid with Christ in God," where no belief in "that which Life is not" (Science and Health, p. 495) can enter to defile or make a lie.

Spiritual preparedness will promote understanding of Truth and enlighten the individual thought to choose Christ for his guide to eternal Life. It behooves mankind to watch sedulously and guard the door of thought against the arguments of evil which would secretly rob them of man's divine birthright. Our protection and defense from sin, sickness, and death lies in constant watchfulness against the subtle rulers of the world's darkness. If we would follow in our Master's footsteps we must give up the material weapons of defense and seek God's way. To do this we must first understand the Christ-principle, which like a guiding star shines through the night of materialism into the dawn of a new day, fragrant with divine benedictions for all mankind.

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