Article December 30, 1922 Issue

"Our Father-Mother God, all-harmonious"

HELEN TRACHT CORNMAN

Students of Christian Science are indeed grateful to Mrs. Eddy for the spiritual interpretation of the Lord's Prayer, which she has given them on pages 16 and 17 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." Perhaps to some this prayer may have seemed somewhat vague and contradictory; but with the spiritual interpretation, there is gained a clearer realization of the heavenly Father's ever present love and protection. The comforting assurance contained in the first line, "Our Father which art in heaven," and the spiritual interpretation as given by Mrs. Eddy, "Our Father-Mother God, all-harmonious," must come with much relief and joy to those who have been taught from infancy that they have inherited inharmonious and ugly traits of character, or some so-called incurable disease, from their earthly father or mother, or perhaps from some more distant relative. With the dawning of the spiritual understanding that in reality the only Father or Mother they have ever had is God, divine Love, from whom only good can come, and that His plan for His child is an abundance of health and happiness, the sense of being a helpless victim of an inexorable law is broken.

Throughout the Bible there are numerous proofs, and many parables, illustrating this sonship. The parable of the prodigal son is especially dear to all Bible students. When the prodigal son finally realized that the gratification of false appetites did not satisfy or bring peace, and that all forms of materiality were simply husks, and not the reality of things, he arose and went to his father. And what a joyous home-coming! His father went to meet him; and the welcome accorded him surely dispelled any doubt that he might have had of his father's tender, forgiving love. To the other son, who perhaps felt that his obedience and faithfulness had not been sufficiently appreciated, came the gentle reminder, "Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine."

It is truly gratifying to know that the understanding which Christian Science reveals of the spiritual man's unity with his heavenly Father, and the protection this affords, is each day helping to lessen and destroy the almost overwhelming fear entertained by so many parents for their children. To them, healing comes with the realization that the love and protection of the Father-Mother God is not confined to any one place, but is infinite; and that divine Mind is capable of taking care of its ideas, wherever they may be. It has been believed for so long that to be apprehensive and fearful for the welfare of our loved ones was indicative of our love for them! But, examined in the light of Truth, we learn that this manner of thinking is not only depressing but hurtful to all concerned. True love, the love that sees man as the image and likeness of God, and because of that fact eternally held in the everlasting arms of the Father, is the truth that does surely protect and heal. It has sometimes been said of Christian Science students that they are not compassionate, because of the fact that they are unwilling to sympathize with evil. What we all want is healing; and sympathizing with what we know to be an erroneous, unreal condition—a condition not known or sanctioned by God, but simply the creation of false mentality, and prolonged because of this mentality's belief in a power opposed to God—is certainly not true sympathy.

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