Editorial November 22, 1924 Issue

Freedom

Duncan Sinclair

On page 228 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy lays bare the nature of human enslavement, while at the same time indicating the way whereby it shall cease. She writes: "The enslavement of man is not legitimate. It will cease when man enters into his heritage of freedom, his God-given dominion over the material senses. Mortals will some day assert their freedom in the name of Almighty God." Here, in language as plain as could be uttered, the fact is stated that it is the material senses which enslave, and that enslavement can be broken and liberty gained through the spiritual understanding of God obtained through Christian Science.

Does any one doubt that enslavement results from pandering to material sense? If so, let him think of the ravages of sin in our midst to-day. It is generally admitted that a very large percentage of the sickness and suffering in the world is directly due to sin. And sinful indulgence is the indulgence of material sense, or the allowing of the material senses to hold sway in one's life. Assuming the reality of matter, and that materiality must have a place in their lives, mortals allow thought to dwelllon on the objects of sense and on the so-called pleasures of matter, and in the measure of their so doing they are enslaved.

Enslavement to the physical senses goes far beyond what may be termed mere sensuous indulgence; it extends to every immoral impulse of the so-called human mind. Thus, hatred, jealousy, revenge, anger, malice, and all such traits, have their seeming origin in materiality. They could not even seem to exist were not matter assumed to be real. And what havoc they play with the peace, the joy, the happiness of men! Enslavement is the word which best expresses the effect they, in belief, produce.

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