Article November 15, 1919 Issue

The League of Nations

GUY H. DEMPSTER

In reading in the English newspapers the many sincere and well meant efforts of the editors to promote friendship among the nations, especially between England and America, the writer has frequently been struck with the wonderful truth and simplicity of that statement written by Mrs. Eddy in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," beginning on page 469, "With one Father, even God, the whole family of man would be brethren." To the theorist, the above quotation appears to be logically self-evident; yet the "man in the street," while believing possibly that it states a truth, fails to understand it as practically applicable to human affairs. Whatever the human efforts to realize unity among the nations may do, they demonstrate that mankind is crying out consciously or unconsciously for the living God, the animating Truth. Students of Christian Science know that harmony apart from God is impossible, for harmony is "the reign of Spirit; government by divine Principle; ... the atmosphere of Soul" (Science and Health, p. 587). Humanity has yet to admit this truth and to welcome a practical understanding of God, good. It has many steps to take toward realizing this understanding, but fortunately, as Mrs. Eddy says in Science and Health (p. 327). "reason is the most active human faculty." Let us appeal to that faculty so that we and those we meet may be induced to think intelligently. The following train of thought may be found useful in helping mankind to think constructively on world unity.

Friendship, to be genuine and consequently permanent, must be based on the common participation of a true ideal. The counterfeit friendship, stimulated by an appeal to emotionalism or to any phase of erroneous sense, is ephemeral and evanescent. The intrinsic worth of the common ideal is therefore of the utmost importance in determining the value of the friendship which is founded on it. Now every individual has an ideal, but every ideal is not worthy. As humanity believes in minds many, instead of acknowledging one Mind, there are in human experience many ideals, and thus no constant ideal; consequently, no constant friendship between individuals or nations can be found on a materialistic basis of thought. The true and permanent ideal is good, or God. This ideal has one basis, because there is one God. The endeavor of any two or more persons or nations to seek such an ideal must bring those parties naturally together in a common friendship. That this process is taking place among the more enlightened nations is evident in present day history, but perhaps the vital importance of a true idealism has not been generally grasped.

The essential element in developing this true idealism is the love of God, good. Were our present day Utopians to recognize this great verity, they would set about directing thought toward desiring an improvement in some mutual interest, whether it be connected with an educational, a social, or a political problem; toward urging in thinking, and consequently in living, a higher standard based on Principle, rather than toward appealing to the emotions through rhetorical speeches or flag-waving pageants. All activities exercising a direct control on public thought, especially perhaps the newspapers and public educational institutions, have an immense duty imposed on them with a wonderful scope of real usefulness; and in this connection it is gratifying to note that our Christian Science periodicals are well in the van of progressive thought. The way out of all human problems has been shown by the master Christian to lie in obedience to the two commandments, to love God and to love one's neighbor, as cited in the twenty-second chapter of Matthew. Progress may appear to be slow and require much patient work; for it must be "precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little;" but the way leads to the one ideal understanding, "for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."

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