Editorial December 13, 1924 Issue

Free Moral Agency

Ella W. Hoag

There are few things which men prize more highly than their right to make decisions for themselves. Freedom of choice is something they begin very early to exercise; and even without realizing it they are continually choosing between opposites. In all their thinking and acting they are deciding for or against something. They inherently desire this liberty, since thereby they learn their own lessons, win their own experiences, and lay hold of the ability to divide between right and wrong, between good and evil, between that which is truly desirable and otherwise.

The Christian Scientist soon recognizes that his success in demonstration depends largely on his learning to know what is true and what is false thinking. He must also accept the fact that he has a God-given power always to choose that which is of God, good. In "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 83) Mrs. Eddy tells us that "no person can accept another's belief, except it be with the consent of his own belief. If the error which knocks at the door of your own thought originated in another's mind, you are a free moral agent to reject or to accept this error; hence, you are the arbiter of your own fate, and sin is the author of sin."

In such wise way as this does our Leader point out our free moral agency and show us plainly that we can never blame any one else for our difficulties, since each one may reject or accept the thoughts of error which knock at his mental door, wherever they may have claimed to come from; consequently, he is indeed the arbiter of his own fate. This immediately places the responsibility for right choice just were it belongs,—with each individual.

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