Release the Truth

William P. McKenzie

Falsity has too many advocates and friends. Those whose deeds are evil love to argue that there will always be shadow in the world wherein they can hide. They declare that good men will always be their victims, and that "the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" will always reap the harvest of other people's sowing—like the Afghan hill tribe marauding the peaceful valleys every year. Jesus characterized this view by saying that "men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."

Mrs. Eddy says, "The history of our country, like all history, illustrates the might of Mind, and shows human power to be proportionate to its embodiment of right thinking" (Science and Health, p. 225). It must be, therefore, desirable that right thinking should find the widest possible publication. In publishing information we find that the socalled freedom of the press has both benefit and bane. At a time of world crisis, when some God-guided statesman is trying to work the works of God in evil days, then too often is the time for bitterness and cruel misinterpretation to be expressed in print, which the multitude of the thoughtless take at its face value without appraising the motives of the writers. Consequently the good man, who in after years may be looked upon as the savior of his country, is, in his actual labor of saving his countrymen from evil, assailed by every kind of brutality and hindrance; and why? Just because those whom he is working to benefit hold to a belief that a partnership with evil can be beneficial, each one wishing to cherish his own peculiar affection for things beneath, so that he is unready for whole-souled acceptance of good as the reality without any opposite.

Thus to every thinker not exactly true there remains a side door for the tempter, an avenue for the mesmerist, whereby too often one who may be honestly called good can become the enemy of the noblest and best. The misguided people, as Jesus said, kill the prophets and stone the messengers of Mind, and then repenting raise monuments to their rejected benefactors. Mrs. Browning speaks of poets as "the only truth tellers left to God." The insight of the poet has sometimes made him a prophet and a revealer of spiritual good; but again there have been poets who too often have concealed the bitter and poison of lust in a syrup of phraseology, and presented to the imagination of men such mental pictures as they must strive painfully to forget as they progressively awake to true thinking.

For the guidance of the Christian Science movement, Mrs. Eddy has given directions as to the appraisement of what is written by a valuing of the motive and intention of the writer. In the Manual (Art. VIII, Sect. 11), after forbidding the circulation of incorrect literature, she goes on to say: "Also the spirit in which the writer has written his literature shall be definitely considered. His writings must show strict adherence to the Golden Rule, or his literature shall not be adjudged Christian Science."

One can think of many a case in history where the brave man, standing alone in the right, could have been immensely strengthened by writings strictly governed by the Golden Rule,—writings which would thus release truth and counteract a flood of lies. Lying is the scourage which mortal minds use to discourage all righteous endeavor. How true it is, as the Leader of the Christian Science movement says (Science and Health, p. 224), "Cold disdain, stubborn resistance opposition from church, state laws, and the press, are still the harbingers of truth's full-orbed appearing." We are continually reminded of the truth of Lowell's words:—

Once to every man and nation comes the moment to decide,
In the strife of Truth with Falsehood, for the good or evil side;

Then to side with Truth is noble when we share her wretched crust,
Ere her cause bring fame and profit, and 'tis prosperous to be just;
Then it is the brave man chooses, while the coward stands aside,
Doubting in his abject spirit, till his Lord is crucified.

Truth overcomes evil by presenting its illumination of righteousness and goodness in place of the confusion, foolishness, and darkness of evil thinking. Exposure causes the evildoer to be ashamed, but too often he seeks some other dark place wherein to publish again his imaginations until the time comes when he shall find no place. We rejoice in the assurance that the earth will be filled with the light of Truth, and in that light every one shall bow to the Christ, and every tongue confess that Truth divine is the only power.

William P. McKenzie.

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The Mosaic Decalogue

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