Editorial May 24, 1919 Issue

Spiritually Minded

William P. McKenzie

"To be spiritually minded is life and peace," says the great apostle of the Gentiles; he also gave to the world the awakening message that "to be carnally minded is death." For this deathward marching mind Mrs. Eddy found a fitting name and we have become familiar with the designation, mortal mind. If an aggressive mortal were content with his own way of diminishment and dying, life would be easier for those who seek for spiritual things and are useful in the world because they are able to minister to others from the heavenly store which they have gained. But mortals antagonize all unlikeness to themselves from age to age and follow the modes of old Jerusalem in trying to prevent the arriving message of the prophets. We recall the apostrophe of Jesus: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not. Behold, your house is left unto you desolate."

Those who seek after spiritual things are not, however, left in desolation. In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 15) Mrs. Eddy attests this, saying: "Christians rejoice in secret beauty and bounty, hidden from the world, but known to God. Self-forgetfulness, purity, and affection are constant prayers. Practice not profession, understanding not belief, gain the ear and right hand of omnipotence and they assuredly call down infinite blessings." The spiritually minded, then, exhibit devotion. This is much more than an outward observance of religious duties,—more by far. It is the inward consecration of one's self to that which is highest and best. It is a man's own secret joy known in the heart, concerning which it can be said, "A stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy." The interfering stranger tries to intervene, of course; that is, every devotee of mortal mind wants to restrain, hold back, and diminish any influence of a spiritual nature because he instinctively recognizes that it may disturb his false peace in the flesh.

Those who follow the unspiritual guidance of mortal mind are much like the children in the market place whose demands Jesus characterized. He pictured them "calling unto their fellows, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented." The children say: We have made our makebelieve marriage processions and funerals and you will not join in our play. They object to one who is devoted to a divine work or enterprise. Likewise, for example, those amusing themselves with the latest trade-marked and tab-letted drug, concerning whose advertised efficacy they wish to converse, object to the seriousness of the Christian Scientist who though courteously listening is nevertheless turning his thoughts to Spirit. But is it so objectionable that one should be turning to God while another dwelling in the death mind pours out a rigmarole of discordant symptoms, of miseries and sufferings, of morbid imaginings and distresses, in order to exploit as a remedy therefor the drug doctrine of the hour? Mortal mind, morbidly dwelling upon death's preliminaries, presents the exact opposite of the attitude of the spiritually minded seeker after God, who is as one rising into light.

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