Article May 4, 1918 Issue

Real Rest

JEANETTE L. NADEL

For ages, weary, discouraged mortals have been seeking rest. The Hebrews instituted the Sabbath as a day of rest, and even extended the thought of it to the land, designating every seventh year as a period of rest for the soil. They were not to sow or even to gather what sprang from the soil during the seventh year; but to compensate them for this loss, their crops were trebled during the sixth year. Moses sought in this way to lead the people to see that God was the real source of their sustenance. The land did not need the rest so much as the people needed to understand that the power which had trebled their crops was in reality the only source of supply. In like manner the people needed to cease at times from their material labor, in order to refresh themselves by turning their thoughts from material gain to the contemplation of spiritual reality; and so the Sabbath was set aside as a day of rest.

In the fourth commandment the children of Israel were told to "remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." In it they were to do no work, neither they, their families, nor anyone connected with their household. Gradually, however, this commandment became a mere form, and was observed outwardly by attending religious services and refraining from material labor, but without the inward consecration which alone could bring peace and rest. So it came about that its true meaning was lost. Our Leader tells us on page 20 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," in speaking of Jesus' teaching, "He knew that men can be baptized, partake of the Eucharist, support the clergy, observe the Sabbath, make long prayers, and yet be sensual and sinful." Now if observing the Sabbath in a merely material way were pleasing to the Father, surely our Master would have kept it in this manner; but we find him continuing his righteous activity even on the Sabbath. In our own day we find most people are agreed that mortals need to rest frequently, and the Sabbath is usually spoken of as a day of rest. In their search for health, many take what is called a "rest cure," only to find upon returning to their work that they are more than ever the victims of their self-made limitations, and must seek less active employment, until finally they yield to the suggestion that they can do no labor at all, for the sense of weariness has become chronic. They vaguely hope that after death, if not before, they shall find the rest which has eluded them during their physical lifetime.

Isaiah prophetically describes the time when men shall seek rest in divine Mind. He says, "It shall come to pass ... that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve." This is surely the rest we all need to seek. We should not seek rest from righteous activity, but from the inharmonious conditions of sorrow, and fear, and the hard bondage. Rest does not mean inactivity, but happy, joyous activity. Our Leader makes this clear on page 519 of Science and Health where she tells us that "God rests in action." Our Master said: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." The Christconsciousness lifts thought above the sense of physical weariness and shows us that real activity is restful.

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