Editorial June 15, 1918 Issue

Victory

William D. McCrackan

Divine Science knows no defeats. It proclaims one continuous victory. Defeat belongs to the illusion of physical sense, and presupposes the reality of evil. Since, however, there is no reality either in physical sense or in evil,—and there certainly can be none in illusion,—there are no elements out of which a real defeat can be concocted. In the absolute, fear, hate, greed, and animality, being wholly illusory, cannot produce conditions of destruction. The victory of righteousness, therefore, remains the normal outcome of every act, undisputed and irresistible. Victory is the natural goal of every right endeavor. In human experience victory is the crown which surmounts the cross.

The spring of 1918 in the United States, which is to-day the principal distributing center for the world's supplies, will long be remembered as a victory of good over evil. The unfolding has been unlabored, the normal growth of grain, fruit, and flower a delight to all. This notable spring proclaims the triumph of righteous prayer over the desires of the unrighteous. During the years of famine Joseph fed his brethren out of his plenty. Jacob said of him: "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: the archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: but his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel)."

If men and nations were agreed as to the meaning of reality, there would be no contests about the unreal. Ignorance of God and His creation leads to battles over that which profiteth nothing. The notable conquerors have been men who made a great outward show but were driven by a secret sense of lack. In seeking to add lands to lands and peoples to peoples they but followed a haunting sense of poverty. Individuals who are unaccustomed to riches tend to make meretricious displays in order to cover their sense of want. Only Christian Science can uncover these unconscious mental springs of action which people conceal even from their intimates. The greater the lust of conquest the greater the sense of limitation. Victories won from such a motive power are defeats. Mrs. Eddy has written on page 239 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures": "Let it be understood that success in error is defeat in Truth. The watchword of Christian Science is Scriptural: 'Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts.'"

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

Victory

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access