Editorial March 3, 1917 Issue

Spiritual Equipment

Annie M. Knott

In Paul's epistle to the Ephesians we find sound counsel based upon his experiences while a political prisoner in the garrison at Cæsarea and afterward in Rome. We find here no hint of condemnation of these brave men with whom he was associated; and though there was doubtless much in their lives which needed correction, he chose rather to emphasize their calm courage, endurance, and self-sacrifice, from which standpoint he made his appeal to those who must perforce engage in the more vital warfare against what he calls "the wiles of the devil." In the sixth chapter of this epistle he directs attention first of all to the needed equipment of the Christian soldier,—the "breastplate of righteousness," the "shield of faith," the "helmet of salvation," and the "sword of the Spirit," which, he says, "is the word of God."

Students of Christian Science sometimes think that the demands of Truth are very exacting, even irksome, when they are reminded of the requirement in the Manual of The Mother Church (Art. VIII, Sect. 6), which reads: "It shall be the duty of every member of this Church to defend himself daily against aggressive mental suggestion, and not be made to forget nor to neglect his duty to God, to his Leader, and to mankind. By his works he shall be judged,—and justified or condemned." Here daily duty is pointed out, and St. Paul's counsel, in the chapter already quoted, is no less emphatic. After telling of the spiritual armor required, he says, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." This shows that there is really no difference between the instruction given by this great Christian hero and that given in Christian Science.

The essential need for spiritual armor and weapons, also for unceasing watchfulness, is shown to be a constant requirement of humanity at all times, until the belief in a mind separate from God, good, and wholly unlike Truth and Love, is proved powerless. In the gospel records we are often told that the Master spent the night in watchfulness and prayer, in communion with the Mind which knows the nothingness of evil because it is itself the consciousness of omnipotent good. There we read of Jesus' instructions to his students, when he again and again sought to prepare them for the warfare upon which he had entered, in which he was proving the impotence of sin, disease, and death when arrayed against Life, Truth, and Love. He had, however, to speak in terms which his disciples could understand; therefore he found it necessary to warn them of the subtle devices of the carnal mind. In the sixteenth chapter of Matthew's gospel we read that on one occasion when he did this, Peter actually attempted to rebuke him, saying, "Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee." Then Peter was himself rebuked for his presumption and spiritual ignorance, and was told that this false sense of security came not from God, but was "of men."

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