Editorial March 13, 1920 Issue

A Well-Ordered World

William P. McKenzie

Speak to the ordinary man about a well-ordered world and he is quite apt to deny the reign of law altogether, declaring that never in the earth has there been so much disorder and overturning of old things. He points to rulers who have exceeded their authority and been deposed, to vast areas in revolution, and pictures the suppressed hatred of class against class exploding into violence here and there. One need not close his eyes to all these appearances, but these things should not mesmerize him so as to make him become blind to actual facts, such as the competence of good workers who are resisting disorder, and the basic kindliness of men and women who by doing right are quietly resisting the hatred engendered in disordered minds. An apostle speaks about the necessity for being "subject unto the higher powers." Understanding this spiritually, it would mean that every man should be himself governed by the best that is in him, subjecting the animal to the human, and the human to the heavenly. Mrs. Eddy makes clear how this is done when she says (Science and Health, p. 405), "Christian Science commands man to master the propensities, — to hold hatred in abeyance with kindness, to conquer lust with chastity, revenge with charity, and to overcome deceit with honesty."

In revolutionary circles, the terms master and servant are objected to because in the face of former servants who now have been mastered by plausible arguments, is dangled by their deceivers the specious hope that they all will be masters. To mill workers the promise is: Get rid of the owners, and you will have the mills, and not need to work any more, — as if a mill would produce revenue without mind. In the true sense, the master is one who has mastered a trade or art, a series of connected problems, so as to be able to serve many by directing their efforts wisely. Notice how Paul discusses the way in which the master should be related to those whose work he directs, and the harmonious relationship of the servant in the house to the one whose the house is. He says: "Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh ... as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. . . . And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven." Here is the recognition of the higher power of God governing both, and relating them together as servants of God.

One has little idea of the cruelty of slavery in such a city as Rome at the time when Christ Jesus began to exercise in the world his benign influence, through his healing and saving work. Imperious masters owned captives brought from many lands. A slave might have known higher rank and better culture in his own land than his owner, who classed him with his cattle. Let the gentle house servant arouse displeasure, and he could be put to actual death or sent to the living death of the ergastulum. When the light of Christianity dawned upon the slave it subdued the inner bitterness which he had cherished. His love for God made him become a good servant, and the master, touched by divine Love, began to recognize his servant as a brother. Human pride was humbled in the contemplation of the sacrifice of Christ Jesus, and when the high and mighty and the humble and enslaved sat together to celebrate the Lord's Supper, there was a benediction of fellowship.

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