Article June 7, 1919 Issue

"Seek ye first"

FRANCES M. GORRELL

In these days, so full of important demands on thought and time, the command, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness," comes as a bugle call to greater consecration of thought and purpose. Just what does it mean to seek first the kingdom of God? Is it enough to study the Lesson-Sermon the first thing in the morning, to repeat a psalm, or to spend a half hour in metaphysical work? This is not a duty merely; it is a necessity in order to glean for the day and its opportunities any part of the real harmony and joy that belong to us. To seek first the kingdom of God is to put the demands of God and His work always before all material demands; to do His pleasure instead of thinking of a personal sense of pleasure to be gained from a trip or a visit to a friend; to so love the work of Truth that nothing pertaining to this work could ever seem small or unimportant; in short, it is to put self out of the way first, last, and always, that God and His work may be exalted. When this command is uppermost in the thought of the practitioner, mere physical comfort will be lost sight of and the real desire to glorify God and to demonstrate His allness will bring quick and perfect healing.

A reading room attendant, in his desire to serve the cause, must hear the call of Truth and allow no argument of error to prevent him from being in his place promptly, ready to give with earnest love the cup of cold water to the thirsty ones. It matters not whether visitors to the reading room may be few or many, if the one in charge is seeking first the kingdom of God, he persevered in realizing the truth that God's kingdom is established, and that harmony is brought to light and the darkness of error and its accompanying misery is dispelled.

The Sunday school teacher, dealing with so many qualities of thought, has the opportunity to demonstrate what he is teaching. Is his work simply to listen to the recitation of the commandments or the Beautitudes and to preserve order? Does his work end when he has told his class how to apply these teachings? How fruitless is his effort unless he has himself gained, through first seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness, the Christ-vision, so that as he meets his class week after week he will be able to bring to them something of that same vision and help them to give out so much of love and truth through the week that others will be led to join in seeking after the kingdom of God, good.

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