Article November 17, 1917 Issue

"On earth peace"

THEODORE STANGER

To speak of peace on earth when the greater part of the world is involved in war, is to many mere mockery. The angel message delivered to the shepherds in the field of Bethlehem has no meaning to them. What can be its import? Did it refer to conditions existing at that time? Then, as now, nation was against nation, the strong preying on the weak, and bringing oppression, destruction, and death to thousands of peaceful people. Or was the message in the nature of a future promise? Why then did the world have to wait two thousand years in vain for its fulfillment? Is this fulfillment still possible, and if so, how can we assist in hastening it?

In view of the world's unreadiness to solve its present great problem by spiritual means, it is no doubt right for us to give our aid and support to certain measures which, in the best judgment of those who guide the affairs of the nation, will serve as human footsteps to better things; yet our chief task consists in doing right mental work. This does not signify that we may treat the situation in the sense of employing silent mental arguments in favor of one and to the detriment of the other group of belligerents, although we may think that we see very clearly "where right doth really lie," for such procedure would not aid in reconciling the human family, a house already grievously divided against itself. What we can and should do is to realize that error, wherever it is found, can only destroy itself; that it cannot harm the real man or cause destruction and devastation in the realm of God, and that Truth will finally be seen to be supreme. This work means nothing more or less than the discernment and demonstration of reality.

In Hebrews we read, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen," and in II Corinthians, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen." We are to look away from the things seen by material sense and to look at the things visible to spiritual sense. Christian Science opens our eyes to behold as present realities the things which mankind has hoped and waited for all through the centuries. What else can the eye of faith be but the discernment of reality? God's work is finished; it exists now and forever as a perfect spiritual creation, including perfect spiritual man. Instead of supinely waiting for God to do something, we must do something ourselves, namely, rise above the material seeming into the realm of the real, the realm of Spirit, the realm of harmony, where the heavenly chorus can always be heard.

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