Article August 28, 1920 Issue

Honesty and Power

EDITH BOWERS

In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, on page 453 we read: "Honesty is spiritual power. Dishonesty is human weakness, which forfeits divine help." Here are two clear statements of facts so clear and so concise that there is no possibility of misunderstanding. What is this spiritual power which can only be obtained by absolute honesty? The word power means ability to act, strength, force, energy, command. The word spiritual is derived from Spirit, and Spirit is God; therefore spiritual power is the power which comes from God, and must of necessity be wholly good. That is, it must be the ability, strength, force, energy, command, influence, to prove here and now the supremacy of good over every claim of evil.

Every sincere student of Christian Science desires to express this spiritual power which will enable one to prove the nothingness of every erroneous belief, and consequently must have that honesty of purpose which is so essential to success. The dictionary defines honesty as uprightness, veracity, honor, justice; therefore to be honest means far more than to refrain from actually stealing one's neighbor's goods. It means to be upright and honorable in our dealings, to speak the truth at all times, and to be fair and just to our fellow men. More than this, it means to think honestly, to think along that straight line of Principle which knows no swerving either to the right hand or to the left. To gain and hold this honest thinking calls for constant alertness and examination of one's motives and acts, for evil tries to use many ways to accomplish its designs, and clothes dishonesty in alluring garments until it looks innocent and legitimate to the unwary.

To seek power for personal aims and ambitions is inconceivable in any one with the slightest knowledge of metaphysics. It is as absurd as it would be in a mathematician deliberately to attempt to work out his problems contrary to the rules governing mathematics. Every metaphysician must know that the moment he swerves one iota from the straight line of honesty in thought, word, or deed, that moment he loses proportionately his power to help either himself or others, and he is manifesting that human weakness which is the inevitable result of dishonesty, and which forfeits divine help.

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