Article December 11, 1920 Issue

Human Opinion

ADALAIDE BRIGGS

Webster's dictionary defines opinion as a notion or belief stronger than impression, less strong than positive knowledge. Human opinion, then, would be the notion or belief of the mortal or human being. Spiritual understanding is positive, true knowledge. Often when the truth comes so clearly we feel when it is expressed that all must see it, but it is met by mortal mind density as human opinion or intellectuality. Mrs. Eddy says in her article, "Pond and Purpose" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 206), "Growth is governed by intelligence; by the active, all-wise, law-creating, law-disciplining, law-abiding Principle, God." Also on the same page she says, "Your growth will be rapid, if you love good supremely, and understand and obey the Way-shower, who, going before you, has scaled the steep ascent of Christian Science, stands upon the mount of holiness, the dwelling-place of our God, and bathes in the baptismal font of eternal Love."

Now if we have done our mental work carefully, until the understanding and inspiration come to act, then as we give out this truth, how can it be human opinion? It is not the years one studies Science, but the desire and motive with which one studies, that gain true understanding. If the desire is only to find some way to ease the human path with as little annoyance to self as possible, that is not true desire; but if the motive is to help on the world's salvation, not counting the cost to self, then as we meet in the way, with desires pure and true, we know each other rightly and we know that the truth is not human opinions.

The pure in heart shall see God, good. As with the individual so with any group of people. We may give the credit for seeming discord to some power of evil, some other authority, and by that very wrong thinking open the only way there is for evil to operate. But he whose thinking is pure knows that there is no evil power to operate or to be manifested in his experience, since good is omnipotent and omnipresent, and he is proving this by obeying the Golden Rule, "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them."

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