Article July 21, 1923 Issue

The Lord's Prayer contains the words, "Thy will be...

Henry R. Colborne, Committee on Publication for New South Wales, Australia,—Sydney

Australian Christian World

The Lord's Prayer contains the words, "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven;" and Mrs. Eddy, in the textbook of Christian Science, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 17), gives the following as the spiritual interpretation thereof: "Enable us to know,—as in heaven, so on earth,—God is omnipotent, supreme." In the Manual of The Mother Church, which contains rules for the guidance and government of Christian Scientists and of the Churches of Christ, Scientist, she has given a rule (Art. VIII, Sect. 4) for all Christian Scientists to pray daily: "'Thy kingdom come;' let the reign of divine Truth, Life, and Love be established in me, and rule out of me all sin; and may Thy Word enrich the affections of all mankind, and govern them!" This is the very opposite of hypnotism or suggestion, wherein the hypnotist, or the human mind operating through suggestion, is endeavoring to control the mind of the patient. No person exercising the so-called power of hypnotism or suggestion can really pray, "Thy will be done;" for all the time it is his, not God's, will he is endeavoring to bring about.

Mrs. Eddy took as her example Christ Jesus, and taught her followers that he did heal; in fact, this cannot be disputed. What she also taught, and which is most important, was that those healings must have been the result of the understanding of and obedience to divine law; and that as that law is understood, it can be and is demonstrated.

A foundational fact in the teachings of Jesus, and those of Mrs. Eddy, is that God made all that was made, and that it was "very good"; and from this premise is drawn the conclusion that evil, in whatever guise or form (whether as sickness or sin or other discord) it may seem to the material senses to appear, is not real in the absolute sense; that is, it is not known to God. However, to prove this as a fact requires spiritual understanding. By knowing its unreality it is destroyed in human consciousness.

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