Article May 10, 1924 Issue

God Must Be First

RUTH C. STEBBINS

Mankind is learning through the study of Christian Science how to think spiritually; how to turn away from material evidence and material thinking to God, good. Thus through placing Him first in every experience, the correct solution of all problems must of necessity be brought about. If we are believing that materiality holds anything which is attractive or good, to give it up with all that it seems to offer is not an easy task. If we start, however, with the commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me," which Mrs. Eddy has interpreted on pages 19 and 20 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" as, "Thou shalt have no belief of Life as mortal; thou shalt not know evil, for there is one Life,—even God, good," we realize we are not called upon to give up anything good, but only that which would attempt to make us believe in a power apart from God. As we gain this understanding, we find it possible to let go of material thinking; and its fruits—sin, disease, and discord—proportionately disappear.

In the Scriptural account of the life of Abraham, that revered and faithful patriarch who walked so closely with God, we find many proofs of his willingness to obey divine guidance. At one time the voice of God bade him take his son, his "only son" Isaac, and proceed unto the land of Moriah, to offer him there as a burnt sacrifice upon one of the mountains. Early in the morning Abraham arose and made ready for the journey. This journey lasted for three days; and then Abraham saw the place afar off. No doubt the mental conflict during the three days' journey was very great; but through it he had risen high enough spiritually to enable him to proceed to the place where he was to make the supreme sacrifice, even the sacrifice of his "only son." He went steadily forward, taking Isaac with him, but leaving behind the two young men who had accompanied them so far.

The journey had brought Abraham to the mountain of which God had spoken. There he built an altar, laid the wood upon it, bound Isaac, and stood ready with the knife in his hand to slay him. As he stretched out his hand, a voice spoke and said, "Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me." When Abraham became willing to yield entirely to God's law, to sacrifice that which he cherished more than all else—the material sense of his "only son"—he found he had nothing to lose. The moment he placed God, Spirit, first, he found the mortal belief that something material could be taken from him replaced by the understanding that nothing good, real, or spiritual could ever be withheld or taken away, because God is All. And so his hand was stayed; and Isaac was restored to him.

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