Article August 21, 1926 Issue

Overcoming Inertia

FAITH HOLMES HYERS

THERE is much desire for better living conditions, for improvement of thought, health, and morals, in the world to-day. Every one wants the best for himself and his dear ones. Rare is the parent who believes that what was good enough for him is good enough for his child. There is, however, another cause holding many back from rightful progress—lack of purposeful effort, of consistent, constant, Christlike effort, directed toward the consummation of good.

Many are familiar with the meaning of the term "inertia" as applied to matter. It is defined as "that property of matter by which it [matter] tends to remain in an existing state of rest, or of motion in the same straight line or direction." The same term may well be applied to the mental quality which tends to idle away the hours, or to allow itself to be directed into channels of faulty human thinking.

Christian Scientists have constant need to guard against mental inertia. Long years of demonstration and practice are no warrant for fancied security from the shafts of evil if we do not daily strengthen our spiritual defense. "All that error asks is to be let alone," says our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, in the article, "Ways that are Vain," in "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" (p. 211). Over and over again in the teachings of Jesus and of Mrs. Eddy we find constant admonition to be alert and prayerful. "I say unto you ... all, Watch," was the message given by Jesus to his disciples many times, and often repeated by Mrs. Eddy with much emphasis in all her works, as witness the words in her Message to The Mother Church for 1900 (p. 2), "The song of Christian Science is, 'Work—work—work—watch and pray.'"

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