Editorial March 5, 1927 Issue

Love as Conqueror

Albert F. Gilmore

Students of Christian Science make much progress spiritually through intensive and prayerful study of the seven synonyms for God which Mrs. Eddy sets forth in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 465). Their understanding of the qualities, attributes, and infinitude of Deity will expand through this means proportionably to the fidelity of their application to this task. The student usually finds that one of the seven terms makes a stronger appeal than any of the others, and it will become his favorite synonym for God. As his concept grows, however, he may change from one to another, until he has embraced the entire group in his intensive study.

One student of Christian Science was accustomed to write brief essays about each of the seven terms, thus striving constantly for a larger unfoldment of its meaning. These he followed with themes based upon the opposite to each momentous word, its antonym, so far as it could be determined. That his concept of Deity greatly unfolded through this process, there can be no doubt.

Of the synonyms for God which appear in the New Testament, Spirit and Love are the most conspicuous. In his epistles, John dwells upon God as Love, and through all his writings there breathes the sweet perfume of this divine quality. No other term so perfectly describes the nature of Deity as does the word "Love." Mrs. Eddy accepts this word as imparting the clearest idea of God; and on page 6 of Science and Health she sets forth the significance of the concept of God as Love thus: "'God is Love.' More than this we cannot ask, higher we cannot look, farther we cannot go." Our revered Leader beheld in this synonym for Deity the all-inclusive term for divine goodness. Vastly more than the human heart could desire or long for in respect of the divine nature is included in this word. It is the summum bonum of the divine essence. Mortals have been able to grasp but the merest shadow, an infinitesimal part of the significance implied in John's words, "God is love," repeated by our Leader; but it furnishes a goal toward which all may strive with the assurance of illimitable blessings as its higher meanings are grasped. Paul's words, "faith, hope, love, . . . and the greatest of these is love," as rendered by modern translators, conform exactly to this concept of Deity.

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