Article February 5, 1927 Issue

Right Rule

LAURA BOWLBY MASSEY

While repeating the Daily Prayer from the Church Manual (p. 41) the writer received a special unfoldment of ideas as thought dwelt on the words, "Rule out of me all sin." A dictionary defines the verb "to rule" as, "To exclude by rule;" and the noun "rule" it defines as "the control of the will or actions of any person or thing; government; command." How important, then, that we pray fervently each day, "Let the reign of divine Truth, Life, and Love be established in me," in order that our every thought and action may be guided and governed thereby, and in so doing that command, or rule, over the belief of sin, which is its surest mode of destruction, may reign in us. Let us consecrate ourselves to Truth and Love so that, as Mrs. Eddy tells us in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 565), "Christ, God's idea, will eventually rule all nations and peoples—imperatively, absolutely, finally—with divine Science." Thus shall our mental storehouse be guarded, and only good thoughts and right desires find lodgment therein.

How carefully we must watch, however, that in ruling in good and, as a natural consequence, ruling out evil, we realize that it is divine Mind which is governing, and not a pantheistic belief in a mind separate from God which is claiming to act. How complete, before we speak or act, must be our sense of unity with the infinite, the divine, that we may know whether spiritual understanding is guiding and governing, or merely human opinion. Many times our brother's greatest need is to be left free to work out his own problem according to the light he has. In such a case so-called mortal mind must be silenced; and we must so elevate our concept of man as to see our brother as the flawless emanation of divine Mind, thereby keeping the Scriptural command to "judge not."

Often the new church member may seem to those more experienced in the work to be overenthusiastic to the point of officiousness. But some merge not so gently as others into the truth of being; and it surely would not be the reflection of good that would dampen the ardor of the neophyte by superfluous warnings and corrections. Divine Mind will guide the eager seeker; and he who is in earnest will not stray far, so frequent are the signposts and so clear the path marked by our Leader. We all know how often we fail in our own attempts to have the highest we know rule us. May not this be also true of our brother; and can we refuse him the forbearance we ourselves ask for?

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