Editorial February 5, 1916 Issue

Wheat and Chaff

Annie M. Knott

Religion has always admitted that there should be not merely a distinction between right and wrong, but a separation between good and evil, so far as it is possible to establish this on the human plane. Christian Science teaches that evil has no place in the divine consciousness, therefore the separation between truth and error, spiritual understanding and material belief, must be made on the plane of human consciousness. The necessity for this separation has not only been recognized by mankind, but penal systems have aimed to enforce it, and scholastic theology has declared it to be provided for in the eternal separation between the good and the bad in heaven and hell respectively. This does not, however, point to the destruction, the entire annihilation of all evil in the way that the Bible seems to teach, and this is surely the higher hope on which we should seek to lay hold.

In the Old Testament the destruction of evil is presented under the figure of flame devouring chaff and stubble. In pointing out the difference between his ministry and that of the great Teacher, John the Baptist declared that his mission was to rouse men so that they would be willing to submit to the baptism of repentance, a step Spiritward which is wonderfully presented by Mrs. Eddy in Pond and Purpose, beginning on page 203 of "Miscellaneous Writings." John was, however, far from considering this mental and moral experience final, for he said of the one that should come after him, "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." John also said that this divine manifestation was "mightier" than he, and in defining in human terms the activity of the Christ-idea he went on, "Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

The great humility of the Baptist in acknowledging that Jesus' ministry was mightier than his own, was evidence of deep spirituality, but like many good men of the present day he failed to grasp the meaning of Jesus' healing work, and this called forth from the Master these words : "Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." It would appear that the Baptist had not reached the point of entire separation between the material sense of God and man and the spiritual sense. He was fearless in rebuking sin and sensuality, but he evidently did not see that belief in a life separate from God, in other words, of life in matter, is responsible for all sin and must yield up its false claims through the understanding of the Holy Ghost, or "Divine Science." (See Science and Health, p. 588.)

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