Our Mother

AT a competition among students at one of the universities, to determine fifty of the most beautiful words, it was found that every one of the competitors had mentioned the words mother and motherhood. Now of course a word becomes beautiful only through the meaning it conveys to us. Then can there be any words that equal the terms mother and motherhood? From a child's very infancy it is its mother that is the nearest and dearest; it is its mother that knows and supplies best its needs; it is its mother that consoles and cheers, that, if need be, sacrifices everything for its sake. Through precept and education a wise mother guides her child to the good, teaches self-discipline, and is ever seeking to lead the budding thought in what she considers the wisest and best way to happiness. The memory of a sweet, good mother has helped many a young man or woman to resist the temptation to sin, and many who have seemed to wander on the broad road of evil have been led to find their way back to God through remembrance of perhaps the first prayer she taught them or some of the wise stories she told them during their childhood.

In Christian Science we learn that every material thing is a counterfeit of the spiritual idea. On page 16 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy gives the interpretation of the Lord's Prayer, beginning thus: "Our Father which art in heaven, Our Father-Mother God, all-harmonious, Hallowed be thy name, Adorable One." Through this revelation of our divine Parent, God is brought very near to every one. When we consider human motherhood at its very best, it is but a shadow of that which the divine Father-Mother is to man. All the tenderness, the care, the love, and good wishes with which the human mother surrounds her child are but faint expressions of the divine motherhood of God. In her very love a human mother may fail; in her desire to ward off every disagreeable experience, she may rob the child of the great opportunities of strengthening character through battling with temptation and learning the joys of victory over self; in her jealous love she is apt to forget that loving others does not make her love her own child less. A mistaken sense of the duties of motherhood may tempt her to outline and plan away into the far future, thus interfering with the right of self-government and free development of her child. Her love may make her weak or unduly severe; and how greatly such a mother suffers when, to sense, separated from her loved one.

How different is our Father-Mother God. Divine Mind, eternal wisdom, is never for a minute absent from its reflection. Divine Love is infinite and includes all; it never fails and never mistakes. Jealous to have us love none more than good, according to the First Commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me," divine Mind is always patient, and in infinite tenderness and compassion gives us the needed opportunities to strengthen our understanding. A very helpful illustration of this was given to a student of Christian Science some years ago. A little baby was brought to the home of her grandmother. The little one had never been absent from her mother for any length of time and much fear was expressed about her missing her mother, especially during the night. As anticipated, so it happened. When the baby awakened and found herself in strange surroundings, and most of all, heard a voice that was not her mother's, she cried most pitifully and would not be consoled by any one or any thing. A student of Christian Science asked to be left alone with the little one. "Now Christian Science might be all right for some things, but you do not expect to quiet this child with it!" was the answer, excitedly given; but seeing the utter fruitlessness of her efforts, the grandmother left the room. The Scientist quietly thought over the situation, confident that Love is ever availing, that there is no condition where its law of harmony cannot be demonstrated. The child wanted the love of her mother; she had a right to that. Who was her or is any one's Mother but God? The beautiful definition of Mother as found in the Glossary of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 592), was pondered over: "MOTHER. God; divine and eternal Principle; Life, Truth, and Love." Then a clear realization of the fact that Life and Love and Mother are synonymous was gained. It was seen that the very fact of being alive was the proof of our Father-Mother Love with us. What then could this child lack, when in reality the children of God can lack nothing? Needless to say that the baby found her rest and awakened in the morning sweet and bright. This was some years ago, but the healing was permanent; without loving her human mother any less she learned to appreciate love wherever she met it, expressing Love herself.