Article December 13, 1924 Issue

Concerning "Claims"

ERNEST C. MOSES

The word "claim" figures in so many ways in connection with business and legal proceedings that its usage is of common occurrence. It is chiefly used to declare one's right or title to property, money, or services, or to point out some obligation. In such connections the word "claim" may symbolize a concept relating to either actual or alleged ownership. As a noun it is defined in a modern dictionary as meaning "a demand of a right or supposed right," or "the thing claimed." It is used in many other connections relating to that which is positive or approximate, or in connection with negations and errors. It seems that the word is often overstressed; and a few comments on its usage may relieve us of much useless employment of it.

To consider the subject aright, we need to commence from the positive standpoint, namely, that the word "claim" means something asserted or demanded by God, divine Mind; for instance, as it is used by Mrs. Eddy in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 329): "Science is a divine demand, not a human. Always right, its divine Principle never repents, but maintains the claim of Truth by quenching error." Keeping this demand before the thought, we may better understand and use the word, and also recognize all false claims as error, always unreal.

Christian Science reveals God to mortals as divine Mind, the universal and only real intelligence, the only Life, Truth, and Love. This Science also shows that the so-called mind of mortals, named in the Bible the carnal mind, is a supposititious counterfeit of the divine Mind. This counterfeit Mrs. Eddy has named mortal mind, a seeming, illusive activity claiming to be intelligent, real, and powerful. It is a claimant to everything; but is without power to substantiate its claims, for they are all false.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

Resting in Every Step