Article November 15, 1919 Issue

Liberation

MARGARET S. SAYRE

During the recent world-wide conflict, a great deal was said about freedom. An analysis of this thought by Christian Science shows the only real freedom to be the mental freedom which brings true liberation. One of the traits of error is to incline one to run away from an unpleasant situation, but as we progress in spiritual understanding, the realization comes of the impossibility of ever eluding evil of any sort by running away from it. When God commanded Moses to cast down his rod and it became a serpent, he fled before it; then God bade him go back and handle the serpent, or his concept of evil. His fear was overcome and this overcoming became a staff which supported him. So it is with us; when an error is met and conquered, the fear disappears and the experience thus gained becomes a help and an added inspiration to press on still farther. When we have reached this stage, we can say with our Leader, "Trials are proofs of God's care" (Science and Health, p. 66), and welcome each new problem presented, as an opportunity to further prove the truth of Principle in higher and better demonstration.

The writer remembers during her early experiences in Christian Science a tendency to ignore the so-called small errors, the dailly little annoyances that arose, and these unarrested beliefs in evil were the source of much confusion and discord. As the understanding became clearer and clearer to her that all ideas of Mind are always in their rightful place and environment, doing their rightful work, the beauty, harmony, and perfection of God's creation made her realize more than ever before the importance of instantaneously rebuking any suggestion of evil which would dim this wonderful understanding of a perfect God and perfect universe. Gradually carelessness and apathy gave way to order and alertness; fear, resentment, and selfishness were crowded out by the Love which purifies and uplifts mankind. With this purification came a clearer vision of the Christ, "the divine manifestation of God, which comes to the flesh to destroy incarnate error," as Mrs. Eddy tells us on page 583 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures."

Each Christian Scientist has an individual share of working, watching, and praying to do in the reconstruction period now at hand. All ideas of God reflect the one Mind, which can neither be mesmerized nor manipulated by the false arguments of mortal mind, that would otherwise keep the world in its present seemingly chaotic condition; but as greed, fear, lust, malice, hate, and the desire to rule and dominate are cast out of each and every one of us by a complete surrender to God's law, then, and then only, can we know as individuals and nations the freedom which brings with it, as its inevitable concomitant, that perfect peace which is beyond all human understanding.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

Liberation

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access