Article March 29, 1924 Issue

Good Cheer

CAROLEE MENEFEE BECKER

When Paul was brought before the council, because he preached the resurrection of the dead, the multitude was divided. On the one side were the Pharisees, who subscribed to this doctrine; on the other were the Sadducees, who opposed it. So great was the dissension that the chief captain, fearing Paul would be harmed by the mob, commanded the soldiers to bring him into the castle; for the mob's bitterness had reached such a height that many had banded themselves together by an oath, declaring they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed him. In the midst of such mortal mind clamoring in its hatred of the truth, the Lord stood before Paul and said, "Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome."

Wonderful commendation of his worthiness! He must go on, just as he had been going, bearing the message, "Be of good cheer"! The utterance was also a recognition of divine power. Paul must have felt this; for later, in going to Rome, when there arose a great storm at sea so that the ship was tossed about and all hope of being saved seemed lost, Paul stood forth and exhorted all "to be of good cheer." He recognized the value of cheerfulness; he knew that where it obtained in thought, dark forebodings would be put to flight and new impetus given. Jesus said to the man sick of the palsy, who was brought to him to be healed, "Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee."

The Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, bears the same message of good cheer, of sins forgiven and diseases healed. Through the application of its simple, direct, definite rules, the barricades of distrust and false pride are being torn down; self-pity and self-righteousness—in fact, all the accepted forms of that unwarranted usurper, selfish sense—are being canceled; and the divine image, which, in ignorance, we have seemed to dim by covetousness and jealousy, or have seemed to hide by unrighteous desire and unholy lusts, is being revealed. Is it not cause for good cheer that through the teachings of the Bible and Science and Health men are coming forth untrammeled by the graveclothes of sin and suffering, perceiving man as the perfect reflection of God, the reflection which will endure throughout all eternity?

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