Article May 17, 1919 Issue

Invasion

H. B. STAIRS

If consideration be given for a moment to the phenomenon of war it will be seen that the idea of invasion is at the bottom of our fear of it. It is impossible to think of war without associating therewith a sense of invasion, either immediately or ultimately, directly or indirectly. When nations go to war, endeavors are made to have the fighting done in the territory of the opponent, which means invasion at once. The sting of war is undoubtedly the fear of invasion, whether instant or possibly only eventual, and conversely the fascination of war consists in the desire to invade the opponent's country and the hope of advantage therefrom. Mrs. Eddy covers the ground exactly on page 373 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," where she says, "The fear of disease and the love of sin are the sources of man's enslavement."

A great step in ridding ourselves of the curse of war would be the destruction in the individual consciousness of the fear of invasion and of all desire to invade and to profit thereby. That this can be done by spiritual means alone is amply attested by the many instances recorded in the Old Testament. For example, when Jehoshaphat was informed that the three nations were coming against him he betook himself and all his people to prayer. He consulted the prophet Jahaziel about the matter, and it is most comforting in the present day to read what the latter had to say. The story sets forth vividly how completely Jahaziel destroyed all fear of invasion. His first admonition was, "Be not afraid ... for the battle is not your's, but God's," and the Israelites went forward to meet the enemy, singing and praising God. When they arrived on the field of battle it was found that the three invading armies had completely destroyed each other. Instead of having to fight, the Israelites were occupied three days in collecting the spoil.

Then, too, when Rab-shakeh, the general sent by Sennacherib, was threatening Jerusalem, Hezekiah applied to Isaiah for help, the result being that Rab-shakeh did not attack Jerusalem but returned to his own country. When Sennacherib came himself with an army, Isaiah took the matter up again, and in the night the army of the Assyrians was wholly destroyed. Isaiah's admonition in the first place was, "Be not afraid." A more complete demonstration is presented in the story of the invasion of Judah by the Syrian army. Through the wonderful power of spiritual understanding Elisha was able to lead the invaders into the midst of the army of Judah, and when the king asked, "Shall I smite them?" he ordered that they should be fed. The story reads that the Syrian army returned to its own country and never came back into the land of Judah.

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