Article September 17, 1927 Issue

Election

LILLIAN B. WYAND

In no field of human endeavor does error find greater opportunity to sow the seeds of bewilderment, confusion, and discord, through its claim of many minds and many interests, than in the electing of individuals to carry on the duties of those organizations which are necessary for the conduct of men's affairs. Even in church organizations whose members, as students of Christian Science, have gained some understanding of the great truth that there is but one Mind controlling and directing all real activity, we find the subtle effect of this claim manifested in a sense of personal responsibility and a belief in the necessity for much thought-taking as to human qualifications, characteristics, and mannerisms, so that all concerned in the election may exercise the best judgment in making their choice, utterly forgetful of the fact that God's work is already done. It is true that each one does have a responsibility in the matter, and therefore there is the necessity for thought-taking; but it is a responsibility to listen for the voice of God, and to use the thoughts of God rather than those of human outlining.

There is a very illuminating account of an election or a choosing for office given in the sixteenth chapter of I Samuel. It was necessary to appoint someone to take the place of Saul as king over Israel, and it devolved upon Samuel to do the appointing. Even so, it is made very clear that Samuel recognized that God had already made the choice and that his responsibility in the matter lay in listening for and being obedient to God's voice, that he might select the one of God's appointing, even though this might lead through the very strongholds of malice and hatred. And what were Samuel's instructions? That he fill his horn with oil, go to the place of the appointing, and sacrifice,—fill his thought with "consecration; charity; gentleness; prayer; heavenly inspiration," to quote our Leader's definition of "oil" in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 592),—go to the place of appointing and sacrifice there all human thinking and planning, and call the others to sacrifice, too. And then God would name unto him the one whom He had chosen! It was not necessary for Samuel to know beforehand whom to appoint, and apparently he did not think so either; for we read, "And Samuel did that which the Lord spake." And when they had all gathered together, they sanctified themselves and came to the sacrifice. Even then that false claim of minds many touched Samuel, for, as the sons of Jesse passed by, he started to choose humanly, and said of Eliab, "Surely the Lord's anointed is before him." But the Lord rebuked him, saying, "Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth." And whom did the Lord choose? The youngest! He who was judged of such little importance that he was left out with the sheep. And what was more important still, they had to bring him. Here was no thought-taking as to his own eligibility for this office, but just a humble obedience to the carrying on of the business at hand.

Could we but make these lessons our own and come to the realization, as did Samuel, that we do not go to these elections for the purpose of deciding on persons for offices, but that we are gathered together to make manifest the man of God's appointing, that our responsibility in the matter is so to clear our thought of human opinions and thought-taking that we can hear the Lord's voice when He says, "Arise, anoint him: for this is he." Then would we find such unity of thought manifested at our meetings that there would be no difficulty in making the right choice.

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