Article April 15, 1916 Issue

Neutrality

THOMAS C. PERINE

A YOUNG man entered the employ of a firm for which I was working, and from the start there arose a sense of jealously and hatred between him and an older employee. This finally manifested itself in a battle of words, and the older employee tried to have the new man discharged. Before going to sleep that night I thought about the incident, and felt that while I could not treat either of the men without his knowledge and consent, I could know the truth which is the heritage of all men. I was therefore able to think of these men in their true selfhood, as God's children, all of whom are loving, kind, and helpful. I put my finger on my lips, as Mrs. Eddy instructs us to do on page 3 of Science and Health, and by thinking of nothing but the kind things these men were doing and could do since they were the children of God, I realized the meaning of peace.

Christian Science teaches that as God is Spirit and is perfect, man as His reflection is spiritual and also perfect. So whenever I thought of these men that night I tried to think of their true selfhood, God's reflection, and went happily to sleep, knowing that God, good, is all-power, hence error is nothing. The result was gladdening indeed, for their thought was more peaceful the next morning, and later their good will grew until they became the best of friends. I then saw that if two men can be healed of quarreling by impersonal declarations of the truth, the same kind of treatment will heal discord between nations. It is the highest form of neutrality to see these nations in the light of Truth as brothers, as Love's peaceful reflections.

Of old the angels sang of "on earth peace, good will toward men." In Science and Health (p. 581) we read that angels are "God's thoughts passing to man," and so angels are declaring to us this truth of peace and good will toward all men. The truth is that God, Life, Truth, and Love, is ever present, all powerful, and all knowing, and so in reality there never will be a time when peace does not reign, and when we cannot cherish good will toward all men.

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