Article October 30, 1920 Issue

The Storm

EUGÉNIE PAUL JEFFERSON

A study of the words and works of the great Exemplar, in the light of Christian Science, reveals certain incidents in the life of Jesus applicable to the solution of every human problem. Confronting present world conditions following the great upheaval caused by the fiery storm of war, we seem to be surrounded by clouds of error, tempest tossed, and adrift upon a seething sea. The seeming is but the supposed opposite to the real, however, and its mesmeric effects with all accompanying doubts and fears can be scientifically dispelled by applying to present conditions the lesson of the storm upon the Sea of Galilee as given in the eighth chapter of Matthew. To the disciples this storm appeared very real, and they were fearful of destruction, even though their dear Master whom they had seen perform so many wonderful works was with them in the boat. They were terrified. He on the contrary calmly rested, unconscious of fear or danger. The Son of man was unafraid of wind—for that was all there was to it, a sudden storm of wind, which frequently occurred upon the Lake of Gennesaret, as the Galilean sea was often called. Christ Jesus was vitally conscious of peace and security, even while his companions reproached him with carelessness of their safety.

In divine metaphysics, any supposedly material element is recognized as audible error, or rather a belief in evil making itself heard, as well as seen and felt. Jesus had taught these very disciples to pray, "Thine is the kingdom, and the power," and had proved by divine authority that there could be in truth no power apart from God. The Master knew that material elements were without power to destroy and that by the process of reversal, to which every false claim is subject in Christian Science, this supposed power of wind must yield to the spiritual fact. This is shown on page 597 of Science and Health in the definition of wind: "That which indicates the might of omnipotence and the movements of God's spiritual government, encompassing all things." Then, continuing, she defines the counterfeit of this true wind as "destruction; anger; mortal passions."

But the disciples of Jesus failed upon this occasion to apply their knowledge of metaphysics. To their material senses the giant waves and the shrieking winds appeared very real, so that when the boat filled with water and began to sink they were consumed with terror. Yet in spite of the great tumult, their Master was calm. Christ Jesus knew no element of danger; the divine consciousness was and is eternally at rest in the security of omnipresence. Human consciousness, however, believing in the evidence of the material senses, indignant at the supposed unconscious sleeper careless of its safety, cried out, "Save us: we perish." Jesus awoke. To this man who understood God the material evidences of storm and danger meant nothing. How often had this evidence of the material senses tempted him to believe in it as real! At one time in his very presence it had thrown to the ground an epileptic boy, as though to say, "I will show you if I am not real!" Again it had tempted him through a withered arm, and even in the death of his well beloved friend Lazarus. But every effort of error to prove the evidence of disease or death to be true was rendered null and void by his supreme knowledge of reality.

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