Article October 20, 1917 Issue

Partisanship, Patriotism, or Principle?

GEORGE SHAW COOK

According to dictionary definition a partisan is "one who adheres, sometimes blindly to a party, a faction, a cause, or a person." Partisanship is "the state of being partisan." Patriotism is defined as "love of country; devotion to the welfare of one's country."

The first definition of the word principle, as given in one of the best modern dictionaries, is "beginning, foundation." It is further defined as "a source, or origin: that from which anything proceeds; fundamental substance." Principle as used in Christian Science means the one infinite source, origin, cause, or creator of all that really exists; that from which all reality proceeds; the fundamental substance, the intelligent cause, the eternal foundation of the universe. This divine Principle is understood in Christian Science to be Mind, Spirit, God.

It is an interesting fact that while the words partisan, partisanship, and patriotism are not used in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," the Christian Science textbook, the word Principle occurs therein more than one hundred times. This does not indicate that the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science was unpatriotic. There are many evidences of Mrs. Eddy's deep-seated love of country, and there is every reason to believe that her country's true welfare was very near her heart; but as for partisanship, as the word is used in this article, Mrs. Eddy had none. This fact is illustrated by what she said in a Boston newspaper in November, 1908, as follows: "I am asked, 'What are your politics?' I have none, in reality, other than to help support a righteous government; to love God supremely, and my neighbor as myself" (Miscellany, p. 276).

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