Article November 3, 1917 Issue

One of the comforting deductions drawn from scientific...

The Christian Science Monitor

One of the comforting deductions drawn from scientific Christianity is that animals can share with their human superiors the blessings of heaven. Of course as long as heaven is supposed to be a locality into which good people are transported after death, the likelihood of animals sharing this heaven seems problematical; but when the kingdom of heaven is recognized to be a present atmosphere of harmony, it becomes apparent that animals may be surrounded by its benefits. The love of animals means more than appears on the surface. When it characterizes an individual or a race it implies freedom and love of God. Cruelty toward animals is found among those who are slaves of each other. In lands which are governed by tyranny the animals fare badly, but where liberty abounds the animals are well treated. The process seems to work somewhat as follows: the autocratic head of the state tyrannizes over the class under him, that class over the one below, until the lowest human stratum is reached, which in turn tyrannizes over the dumb animals. The more unscrupulous the oppression from the head of the nation, the worse the fate of the defenseless animals. On the other hand, freemen are traditionally kind to their animals, for they have no occasion to avenge themselves upon any supposed inferiors.

This question of the treatment of animals goes deeply into the psychology of nations, and is finally linked to their concepts of the First Cause, of God. Evil governments presuppose evil beliefs about God, and such beliefs affect injuriously the health and happiness of animals as well as men. The love of animals, wherever found, may therefore be taken as a sign of an inherent, even though an inarticulate, love of God. In reply to the question, "Do animals and beasts have a mind?" Mrs. Eddy on page 36 of "Miscellaneous Writings" did not hesitate to reply at length: "Beasts, as well as men, express Mind as their origin; but they manifest less of Mind. The first and only cause is the eternal Mind, which is God, and there is but one God. The ferocious mind seen in the beast is mortal mind, which is harmful and proceeds not from God; for His beast is the lion that lieth down with the lamb. Appetites, passions, anger, revenge, subtlety, are the animal qualities of sinning mortals; and the beasts that have these propensities express the lower qualities of the so-called animal man; in other words, the nature and quality of mortal mind,—not immortal Mind."

A practical deduction from this answer is, therefore, that human beings instructed in Christian Science can protect the animals under them from "the ferocious mind" and its evil effects, and the experience of multitudes of Christian Scientists verifies this fact. It has been noticed that during racial conflicts in which much hatred is expressed, domestic animals are apt to develop mysterious diseases which sweep over them like pestilences. The assumption has been that these diseases are due to physical conditions solely, but Science is uncovering the secret methods by which the liberated animal qualities strike at the harmony of beasts as well as men, and provides the cure through the spiritual understanding of the reality of being.

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