Article March 1, 1919 Issue

An Act of God

MELVA B. MC GLAUFLIN

During the recent epidemic of influenza a young musician was thrown out of employment through the closing of the theaters, and his salary was stopped. On being asked by a student of Christian Science if he did not have a contract with the manager, he said, "Oh, yes; but they call this an act of God." Nothing more was said on the subject, and the Scientist went away puzzled, but all day this expression kept recurring to her,—"an act of God." What did this mean? Later she spoke of the incident to a friend, asking him if he knew what the musician had meant. He informed her that there is a clause in most contracts referring to calamities which are beyond the control of man, such as earthquakes, cyclones, and the like. Epidemics such as influenza would naturally come under the same class and be called acts of God.

The amazement of the Christian Scientist at the thought of such evils being attributed to God can be imagined. We are taught in the Bible that God is "of purer eyes than to behold evil," and on page 140 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, we read, "The Christian Science God is universal, eternal, divine Love, which changeth not and causeth no evil, disease, nor death."

Later the student asked a prominent lawyer about this clause, and when he explained it without the least suspicion that he was dishonoring God, she felt somewhat as Paul must have felt upon entering Athens when he read the inscription, "TO THE UNKNOWN GOD." She sent up a prayer of thanksgiving that through Christian Science as taught by our beloved Leader, Mrs. Eddy, the unknown God whom we so long ignorantly worshiped is again being declared and revealed as "not far from every one of us," but near at hand, "a very present help in trouble," in whom "we live, and move, and have our being." The writer is very grateful to have been able to prove this during the past two months while the fear of influenza seemed to take possession of the people in the city where she lives. Her little family was entirely free from even the fear of contagion, through the help received from daily reading of the Lesson-Sermon, as well as our other Christian Science literature. This reading kept their thought dwelling "in the secret place of the most High," and the promise, "There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling," was fulfilled.

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