Editorial October 6, 1917 Issue

Treason

William D. McCrackan

The betrayal of friendship is generally accounted a particularly odious offense. Even those who have made little progress along spiritual lines can be depended on to support their friends, at least as far as they are conscious of the meaning of the term loyalty. Why then is it that lasting friendships are comparatively rare and people after a time draw apart who might be expected to remain united? The divergence of ideals seems to account for much of this tendency. On page 80 of "Retrospection and Introspection" Mrs. Eddy writes, "There are no greater miracles known to earth than perfection and an unbroken friendship." Nothing drives human beings farther apart than that which they consider a betrayal of their ideals, and they give such conduct ugly name of treason.

The Christian Scientist is at times faced by the question of uncovering error lest silence be taken as an indorsement of evil. What are the absolute facts in the case? Is evil real unreal? What is mortal man that his attitude toward evil should determine what is intrinsically real or unreal? Can any one by giving thought make one atom of evil a reality? It is not possible for any human being to indorse evil, to give value to unreality by adding his name as he would indorse a check, for such a paper is a counterfeit, forged and issued by that false mind which Jesus has frankly described as "a liar."

It should therefore comfort the Christian Scientist to recognize that no matter how rampant treason may seem in its temporary successes and how successful in deluding mankind with its transient triumphs, it can never be made real by any possible juxtaposition with good, and can never be really indorsed or countenanced, even though no opportunity may present itself of uncovering it for what it is. This conviction should lighten the load of many a conscientious teacher, practitioner, or reader who has somehow been made to feel that he is responsible for another's mistakes because he is not in position to correct them.

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