Editorial November 3, 1917 Issue

The Army of the Lord

William D. McCrackan

The hosts of Spirit advance, confuting the mobs of matter. Irresistible in spiritual power they carry the new to supersede the old. With the cry of freedom they trample tyranny, and they uncover false pretenses as they march. They quicken the pace; they cause the righteous nation to blossom into sweetness and joy; they bring into line with Principle the peoples ready to obey God; they are trained through self-sacrifice to bury the dead beliefs of civilizations outworn; they bring the West to the East. Shall not Christian Scientists reenforce this army of the Lord with the equipment of spiritual might, with "the whole armour of God," "the breastplate of righteousness," "the shield of faith," "the helmet of salvation," "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God"? This word scientifically understood is protection against undersea monsters, against the storms of the air, electricity and hail, against the lurking thought which plants the mine and fires from ambush, against the diabolism which conceived and brought forth death-dealing fumes and stupefying clouds laden with the intent of disease. The word of God declared by the Christian Scientist can feed and clothe the army of the Lord and throw about it a sheltering wall which no fleshly temptation can penetrate.

March forth, then, upon thy divine mission, great host of Christian soldiers, animated by lofty purpose, strong and enduring, bound into unity by the power of Principle, intelligent, alert, keen, and joyous. The health of this army comes from God; its life is indestructible; it is the embodiment of spiritual good and cannot be penetrated by bullets, bombs, or gases of hatred. The pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night hedges it about with an impenetrable barricade. The song of Zion is on its lips, the oil of gladness anoints its head, and in its hand it carries the life-giving qualities of the word of God which it dispenses to the less fortunate brother man. The forces of evil cannot cope with God's eternal might; they quail before the light of Truth. For as Nebuchadnezzar once vaunted, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?" so to-day from out of dark chamber of intentional evil there comes the same boast, and the same reply is ready from the mouth of God, as it was for Nebuchadnezzar, "The kingdom is departed from thee." Too cowardly to surrender, the supposititious forces of evil fight on for fear of losing the little they yet seem to hold. But in due time there will resound through the palaces of church and state the contrite acknowledgment of God's power, who "doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?"

Animated by a deep love of peace, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science strove for the attainment of "on earth peace, good will toward men." Yet her experience with the tenacity of evil in human consciousness and her prophetic perception of to-day's world turmoil wrung from her the statement, "But if our nation's rights or honor were seized, every citizen would be a soldier and woman would be armed with power girt for the hour" (Miscellany, p. 277). That hour has sounded, and the army of the Lord is afoot prepared for war, while woman is learning power. The hosts of divine compassion advance into the dark places of arrogant fear, "to preach good tidings unto the meek," "to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound."

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