Article August 16, 1924 Issue

The Voice of God

CONSTANCE E. HEBER PERCY

The first Biblical account of God's speaking to mankind occurs in the third chapter of Genesis, and reads, "And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" Is not this the question that comes to each one of us when we begin to awaken to the demands of Truth? On page 532 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy paraphrases the question thus: "'Where art thou, man? Is Mind in matter? Is Mind capable of error as well as of truth, of evil as well as of good, when God is All and He is Mind and there is but one God, hence one Mind?'" Many might call this voice conscience; and is it not the "inward voice" which became to Moses "the voice of God" (Science and Health, p. 321)? Adam tried to hide from the voice; and we are all inclined to do the same, because listening to it necessitates a warfare with "the world, the flesh, and the devil"—necessitates the giving up of a material sense of pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow. Forgetting that the joys of Spirit are the only joys that can satisfy and that we do not have to give up anything that is good or helpful, we shrink from conflict.

Mortal mind is afraid of the question because it sounds its death knell; and thus it argues, "I am afraid." We need to learn that the "I" which says it is afraid is error—a lie—and not man; therefore we need not listen to it. Can error's argument that it is afraid prevent us from accepting Truth's summons and going up higher? Surely not, if we are claiming our unity with God and admitting no other power than that of divine Love which casts out fear.

In the Bible the word "still" is used in connection with the voice of God; and to the writer this is another indication that it is the "inward voice"; for is not that "a still small voice"? An instance of the use of the word "still" in this way occurs in the nineteenth chapter of I Kings. God was not in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire, which in turn seemed to encompass the mountain on which was Elijah; but when these had passed, God revealed Himself in a "still small voice." What a wonderful sense of peace the words convey!

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