Article October 6, 1923 Issue

Obedience and Power

HENRY H. LINDSEY

The Bible is of value to us as we are able to draw therefrom lessons that can be profitable applied to-day. Our hope in studying its teachings is that in fulfilling their conditions, we shall possess the same power and make demonstrations like those which illustrate the dominion possessed by men who lived in accord with the divine law of God. We learn in Christian Science that to possess divine power one must live in accord with that which procures divine power. What a wonderful history is that of the children of Israel, who, in accepting one infinite God, proved this fact in the degree that they adhered to the teaching of God as supreme! In every case where they obeyed the divine laws, even though famine, pestilence, and destruction appeared inevitable, they were delivered.

An ideal example of this is found in the story of Daniel and his companions, the three Hebrew boys. Taken captive when quite young, they were brought to Babylon and chosen to be trained in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar. The reason they were chosen was their apparent aptitude, superiority, and learning; and while it was not then recognized, careful thought will show that it was obedience to the laws of God, as revealed in the ordinances of their nation, that placed them where they could express some of the limitless resources of infinite Mind. Realizing that all the good that had come into their lives was the result of obedience, they could not think of disobeying God. By one of their ordinances which they had learned to observe, they were forbidden to partake of the food of other nations, which was often consecrated to idols, and which was therefore unclean according to their standards of living. While this might be looked upon by others as a mere form and part of meaningless ritual, to them obedience to it meant as much of a departure from good as trying to combine some other so-called method of mental healing, or the use of drugs, with Christian Science would mean to the Christian Scientist to-day. After they had shown that strict adherence to God and to the statutes connected with the worship of God was far more beneficial than dependence on things which would have caused them to forsake their religious teachings for idolatrous practices, consent was given that they should live in a simple way that would not defile their thought.

What was the result? At the end of three years, when all who had undergone the training of the court were called, "among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah." Surpassing all other people of the realm in wisdom, they were exalted to princely authority. Was it intellectual superiority that exalted these Hebrew children? Doubtless, there were others who possessed the same qualifications that they did at the start. Simple obedience, fidelity, steadfastness, kept their thought of God clear and undefiled, and protected them from the evil influences surrounding them. Transparent to Truth and good, they were free to avail themselves of the limitless resources of infinite Mind; for "God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom."

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