Article July 30, 1921 Issue

True Rejoicing

NELLIE B. FORSYTHE

When the seventy disciples returned to Jesus expressing their joy that the devils were subject unto them through his name, Jesus warned them saying, "Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." How well Jesus understood the hidden ways of human thought when he made this fine distinction between the rejoicing in the domination of the true or divine Mind over the false or mortal mind beliefs, and the rejoicing over the forever fact that man's being is in heaven. Mary Baker Eddy defines heaven on page 587 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," thus: "Heaven. Harmony; the reign of Spirit; government by divine Principle; spirituality; bliss; the atmosphere of Soul." "Name" and "character" are often used as synonyms in the Bible, therefore Jesus' command to the seventy was to rejoice that their character was included or expressed in harmony or in the perfect realm of spiritual government, where man's true character, the image and likeness of God, is preserved intact, no cognizance of sickness, sin, or death.

In Science and Health (p. 340) we read, "This text in the book of Ecclesiastes conveys the Christian Science thought, especially when the word duty, which is not in the original, is omitted: 'Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. In other words: Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: love God and keep His commandments: for this is the whole of man in His image and likeness. Divine Love is infinite. Therefore all that really exists is in and of God, and manifests His love." To one who is seeking unchangeable truth, the very essence of rejoicing would be in the great fact that divine Science reveals to him God in whom is vested all law, law which governs man at all times if he will but realize it. Law and Principle are so closely allied that one can hardly be thought of without the other, for the uniform recurrence of effect which is law is the mandate of Principle. Since man is allied consciously with the law of good, God, good is his experience.

What if the combination of circumstances does seem overwhelming and the waves of error mount one above another? These mountains of negation never touched law, never touched the true man, for "behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep," and the true representative of Soul, allied consciously with God, who is Principle, is rejoicing in this fact. Think how many times we are told in the Bible to rejoice. Jesus, whose joy was deep and quiet, because of his thorough knowledge of his true character and that of his fellow man, gave us this encouraging command: "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." Let us then look away from error, and let it sink into the darkness from which it came, for as Paul tells us, "Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor if darkness." Let us see the wonder and grandeur of God's universe, where man is found to be perfect and joyous and free, sustained and contained in Principle, his divine source.

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