Article June 28, 1919 Issue

The Human and the Divine

CLARENCE W. CHADWICK

The present hour finds humanity wrestling with weighty problems. All are being forced to come up higher. No human being can rest upon the laurels of the past. He must go forward under the compelling law of progress. Men and women honored with positions of trust and responsibility are being called upon to think upon a higher plane of consciousness than ever before. In these positions they must know how to cope with the aggressions of error. They must learn to be honorable, upright, just, and wise beyond the world's concept of wisdom. They must reach out for that understanding of divine Principle which will enable them to realize that of themselves they can do nothing. How shall these imperative demands be met? By learning to distinguish between the material and the spiritual, the human and the divine.

Here is suggested a subject of vital consideration for all mankind, one which cannot be ignored or postponed without entailing human suffering and retrogression. On page 82 of Science and Health says Mrs. Eddy: "In a world of sin and sensuality hastening to a greater development of power, it is wise earnestly to consider whether it is the human mind or the divine Mind which is influencing one." Are there many who stop to consider this all-important question? Are there many who are awake to the fact that the so-called human or mortal mind does not emanate from God, and must therefore be put off for the spiritual consciousness of good? Are there many who realize that man is not both human and divine unless God is both human and divine? Are there many who realize that human will power in whatever form it appears is error and not only must be held in subjection but must be overcome? Are there many who can actually distinguish between the tares and the wheat in their own consciousness so as to think only such thoughts as please the Father? Are there many who realize that they have no moral or legal right to think as they please about anything or anybody? These are all questions bearing directly upon the subject of differentiating between mortal belief and spiritual reality.

Never before in the history of civilization has more attention been given to the exploitation of the human mind and its boasted accomplishments. There is doubtless a reason for this in that the demonstrations of Christian Science are uncovering the secret workings of this human mind, and being thus forced to relinquish its false claims to power and efficiency it is boasting while it can, knowing that its time is short. Especially is this true when a case of Christian Science healing is encountered. The representatives of materia medica have often declared that it was the medicine taken by the patient months before which brought about the cure. Orthodoxy will tell you that the cure was the result of will power or hypnotic suggestion. Others will assert that it would have been so anyway, virtually admitting an effect without a cause. Others still are usually on hand to express the opinion that the devil wrought the cure. Few there be who are ready to admit that God played any part in the healing. Every conceivable argument is adduced to discredit the possibility of divine healing. Most of such arguments come from those who profess belief in Christ Jesus and love for God and man; but if Jesus could be personally present to-day, healing the sick and sinful, is it not easy to see what kind of reception he would receive at their hands? Would it differ in any way from the one which is recorded in the four gospels?

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