Editorial January 9, 1926 Issue

Present Perfection

Albert F. Gilmore

Mortals habitually look to the future for the fulfillment of their hopes and desires, postponing the gaining of perfection, if ever it is to be realized, usually to some far-distant day. The mortal mind, so called, in contemplation of its own beliefs can find among its vagaries and phantasies nothing perfect or permanent. It knows nothing of reality, nothing of the perfection of God's creation; hence it has nothing to substitute for its present sense of the temporal and unreal. Because of the material quality of mortal belief, Mrs. Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 186), "If mortal mind knew how to be better, it would be better." Because mortal mind has no cognizance of perfection, however, let us not conclude that there is no perfection.

When Christ Jesus admonished his disciples, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect," he set a standard for demonstration to which the faithful strive to attain. Moreover, he more than hinted at the possibility of man's present perfection. Because God, the Father, is perfect, His son is likewise perfect; but perfection must be realized in order to be revealed. The difficulties which seem to delay the demonstration of perfection have the tendency to encourage us in the postponement of that happy day when man's true selfhood as the child of God will be made manifest.

We are sometimes inclined to excuse ourselves for lack of present demonstration of God's presence and man's perfectness by the thought that all will be well to-morrow, next week, next month, or next year. We are inclined to overlook the apostle's assurance as to present-day salvation. Why postpone our entry into the promised land of right desire? Why not make our own now the bounteous blessings God has heaped upon His well-beloved?

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Unity with God
January 9, 1926
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