Editorial June 24, 1916 Issue

Integrity

Archibald McLellan

Some one has wisely likened integrity to a well-provisioned fortress, and men to its garrison. So long as the fortress remains intact, so long are its inmates safe from the enemies who would overwhelm them. Webster has defined integrity as "moral soundness; honesty; freedom from corrupting influence or practice; ... uprightness; rectitude," and Mrs. Eddy must have had this definition well in mind when she wrote as follows: "The man of integrity is one who makes it his constant rule to follow the road of duty, according as Truth and the voice of his conscience point it out to him;" "We are in the Valley of Decision. Then, let us take the side of him who 'overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,'—of such as barter integrity and peace for money and fame" (Miscellaneous Writings, pp. 147, 270); also, "The exercise of will brings on a hypnotic state, detrimental to health and integrity of thought," and "Evasion of Truth cripples integrity, and casts thee down from the pinnacle" (Science and Health, pp. 446, 448).

From these sayings we realize that integrity must of necessity be predicated upon divine Mind; that it is a divine idea, the bulwark of all those spiritual qualities which go so far toward the making of the saint, the martyr, the righteous man, the Christian; a something to be fostered, guarded, and maintained under all conditions and at all times. Without integrity men would be but human driftwood, the sport of circumstances, and subject to every temptation and "every wind of doctrine." Fortunately, however, there have been in all ages men of integrity, men who have been endowed with spirituality and courage sufficient not only to withstand the evils which encompassed them round about, but also to help others to this same end. This has been manifest through the lives of judges, kings, prophets,—holy men of Israel,—through whom we have received the older Scriptures, men who walked so close to God that they were enabled to foresee the coming of the Messiah and to keep alive the hope which was to find fruition in the advent of Christ Jesus, the establishment of Christianity, and the healing ministry which set at naught the materiality of the prevailing beliefs about God and man.

Since the establishment of the religion of Jesus Christ there has been a continuous line of men and women of integrity, who have kept burning the fire of Christian zeal—sometimes bright, sometimes smouldering—which finally found full expression through Mrs. Eddy in the revelation of Christian Science. This revelation has given mankind a clearer understanding of God, of man's relation to Him, and of prayer as the means of demonstrating the at-one-ment of God and man. It has been the means through which many thousands of men and women have been healed of disease and saved from sin. It has welded these thousands into one grand brotherhood, given them courage and understanding to master the myriad temptations of mortal existence, established them in integrity and brought heaven to earth.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

Integrity

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access