Article November 3, 1917 Issue

Love's Protecting Power

MINER M. YORK

Christian Science teaches that just in proportion as human thought becomes spiritualized through right thinking and living, we may feel sure of divine protection at all times. Spiritualized thought may be said to mean a consciousness in which Spirit, or God, is ever recognized as operating for good. Numerous instances are to be found throughout the Bible of this scientific fact, that of Daniel's deliverance being a case in point. It is recorded that Daniel's enemies, in seeking a pretext to bring about his downfall, could find "none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him." They said, "We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God."

How beautifully this law sustained him is seen in the time of his greatest need, for though his persecutors through intrigue and betrayal secured his conviction and sentence to death in the lions' den, Daniel was enabled to pass unharmed through an ordeal from which there seemed no hope of human deliverance, and to assure the king, who came in the early hours of the morning to see if he still lived, "My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt." So impressed was Darius with this demonstration of divine power that he issued this decree: "That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions."

Scientifically considered, this episode in the life of Daniel has many helpful lessons for mankind. Let us suppose that Daniel had treasured hatred and revenge against his enemies. In such case could any power have saved him from destruction? No! for he would then have trespassed against the law of Love which is fulfilled in the words of Christ Jesus, "Love thy neighbour as thyself." One of the most difficult and at times seemingly impossible tasks for mortal man is to love his neighbor as himself; and when it comes to obeying the Master's injunction, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you," this is considered beyond the range of human endeavor. But "with God all things are possible," and in proportion as we learn in Christian Science to love our neighbor, and even those who seem to be our enemies, we clothe ourselves with an armor that protects us from every shaft of error.

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