Editorial May 1, 1920 Issue

The True Stir

Gustavus S. Paine

The war was, of course, a great test for the practice of Christian Science. In the face of the worst that the so-called mortal mind supposed itself able to do, each student of Christian Science had to know that the idea in Mind is quite apart from any belief in matter. To the extent that each one really knew this, he proved it. If for an instant one were to sink into sadness and despair, then for that instant such a one would not be living in accord with the truth. Only by being conscious that the divine Mind does govern the real man and does produce right action here and now, in spite of any seeming, can one follow Paul's wholesome advice, "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice." This requires one to depend not in the least on any mere human sense of things but to be glad in what God knows. Those who are learning to reason rightly must indeed find calm and lasting joy in the ceaseless doing which the one Mind maintains. The divine Life is ever astir with alert living. That is why it is happy, even though the dream of mortal mind may be of war.

To prove the presence of true peace, each one must rejoice, in the same way, that the divine Mind alone is really active. From seeming strikes, restless shiftings from extreme to extreme, hatred, greed, and terror, there is nothing to fear, for the one who is himself proving the goodness of God. No matter what may arise, sooner or later all efforts can succeed only in turning in the right way, for there is no other way that is real. What fulfills all sincere desire and each righteous attempt is the one perfect Mind, which is the only cause for action. Before the order of this Mind, any lawless state of things has to subside. There remains, then, the whole vigor of good, but no conflict. Instead of being content to be passive, each one must enjoy the true stir that comes from God, and get to work by knowing that the force of the divine Mind is the only force there is. Without a trace of regret that there needs to be a settling down on the basis of Truth, each one must prove for himself that he is not afraid. "For ever, O Lord," the psalmist declares, "thy word is settled in heaven." What each one must know and rejoice in, therefore, is that the heaven of Spirit, not matter, is truly at hand here and now.

On page 331 of "Miscellaneous Writings" Mrs. Eddy writes: "Midst the falling leaves of old-time faiths, above the frozen crust of creed and dogma, the divine Mind force, filling all space and having all power, upheaves the earth." For the merely earthly sense of things to be upheaved and replaced with the idea of Spirit is good. It is not the supposed mortal mind that makes the real stir. Since the one divine Mind can be proved to be the only Mind that is, there is truly no mortal mind to produce any action. Caused by Spirit alone, the true vigor and the true calm alike go on, while any seeming turmoils of matter vanish, having no cause. Even the word of the Lord that came by the prophet Haggai, "Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come,"—even this statement concludes, "and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts." As Mrs. Eddy says on page 540 of Science and Health, "In Isaiah we read: 'I make peace, and create evil. I the Lord do all these things;' but the prophet referred to divine law as stirring up the belief in evil to its utmost, when bringing it to the surface and reducing it to its common denominator, nothingness. The muddy river-bed must be stirred in order to purify the stream."

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