Article April 2, 1921 Issue

True Brotherhood

AUGUSTUS LONG

There is but one standard of living; it is living in accord with divine Principle, and is the only life worth while. He who bases all his actions on God's unchanging law is sure to find the way of health and holiness, the way of the kingdom of heaven. Loving one's neighbor as one's self is constantly seeing man as governed by God's law. Since God is no respecter of persons, one could not possibly have any more good than his neighbor. God's plan is absolute goodness for every one. On page 476 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy says: "Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick." Is not this an excellent standard for us to adopt? Seeing man as the reflection of God helps all helps us to realize man's unity with divine Principle.

Suppose our brother does not see things as we see them; is this any cause for railing and declaring all evil about him? Such an attitude magnifies evil. "Charity suffereth long, and is kind;" "Charity never faileth." Since all have different concepts of things, due to training or lack of training, would it not be well for us to subject our viewpoints to the closest scrutiny and see whether they measure up to the one standard, before condemning the attitude of our brother man? "For they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord."

In patient obedience to God, Jesus labored to lift up a standard of living for the people. He was meek and lowly, giving God the credit for the good he expressed. He spoke of "our Father," realizing the oneness of man with God. This oneness he demonstrated continually, healing the sick and raising the dead. Wherever he went he refused to see other than the perfect man. Even his strong rebukes were of evil, while he proved man to be God's image. Can we not go about the world with a heart full of goodness, realizing our ability to do good? Such ability comes from God. Our brother, too, has the same amount of goodness available to him. Evil is impotent to turn us or our brother away from the goodness of God. If we refuse to declare that evil is, and steadfastly know the allness of God, good, how our hearts will burn within us. Holding steadfastly to Truth and Love constitutes true loyalty to Principle. Jesus said, "The Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him." Are we pleasing so-called mortal mind, personal opinion, or mad ambition, or are we humbly and meekly doing the very things that please God—expressing love, kindness, humbleness, gratitude, joy, charity, and forgiveness? Such an attitude is sure to be right regardless of what our brother may do.

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