Editorial July 17, 1920 Issue

Present Inspiration

Gustavus S. Paine

For the doing of good one never has to wait for a time of special inspiration. When one looks wholly to Principle for all good, one finds that the infinity of goodness is omnipresent. In other words, each one is entitled to prove for himself that he has exactly the right goodness of God in all circumstances. His every utterance of the truth, his whole silent reasoning as to what the truth is, must, then, be of healing benefit without limit. The inspiration for the giving of a testimony in the Wednesday evening meetings or through the Christian Science periodicals, the ability to write a clearly arranged and rightly expressed article, all this comes not with waiting for a convenient human season but is even at the present moment the gift of God. It is unthinkable that God should give ability at one time and withhold it at another. The ability of the true man is sustained in perfect order by divine Principle. As Peter tells us, "Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth."

One who is determined to live in accord with Principle can never wait for a better time in the future for such living. There never will be a better time than to-day for spiritual healing. Just so, there never will be a time more replete with inspiration than the eternity which God knows now. It is man's duty to give expression to God. Divine intelligence requires the real man to be, without ceasing for an instant, the thoroughly competent expression of intelligence. As idea, the true man is ever fully qualified to manifest Principle. Mrs. Eddy says on page 88 of Science and Health: "Eloquence re-echoes the strains of Truth and Love. It is due to inspiration rather than to erudition." Infinite Truth depends in no way on merely mortal learning but is expressed in daily living, in health, wholeness, and continuous joy. To utter what expresses the divine Mind is always a privilege and service, and such utterance unfolds forever without hindrance from any suppositional arguments of error.

This does not mean, of course, that emotional haste will ever accomplish anything. The omnipresence of divine inspiration is never to be confused with any sense of human impulsiveness. It requires thorough work, righteous effort, to demonstrate the fullness of true knowing. Exactness, patience, quiet continuance in action—in spite of any suggestions of the supposed mortal mind that would try to nullify goodness, these are among the qualities essential for the demonstration of intelligent service to Principle now and always. An ecstasy of so-called mortal temperament never has really produced anything; but the sureness that the divine Mind alone governs man means complete ability in all expression. Hence genuine inspiration is never humanly emotional but is always spiritually deliberate, though immediately and perpetually effective. It is always healing, for it is in itself what constitutes spiritual healthiness in true existence. The man of God's creating, living in the full vigor of the divine Life, is never at a loss as to what to say or do, but inevitably gives expression to Principle.

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