Article October 13, 1928 Issue

Relying Upon and Applying Divine Law

MARRIET BRETZ VAN DYNE

A teacher of mathematics once found certain pupils not relying upon certain of the laws of mathematics to solve their algebraic problems. If the law demanded addition, the pupils subtracted; if the law said multiplication, they divided. Patiently the teacher explained that the only way was absolute reliance upon and application of the necessary mathematical laws. Then she instructed them how to rely upon these mathematical laws, urging them not to resist them, but to yield to their truthfulness. Also, the teacher showed her pupils that when they made mistakes they denied true law and attempted to use false law, which existed only in their imagination or belief; and that when they put reliance upon and used true law, their answers would he correct.

In a similar way, students of Christian Science rely upon the laws of divine Mind. But as mortal mind argues to the student of algebra that he should rely upon his own personal inclination rather than upon mathematical laws, so it urges a similar procedure to the Christian Science student: to rely upon sense-testimony rather than upon divine Mind. Fear sometimes confronts the young student: to rise above materiality and rely upon divine Mind seems too transcendental and hazardous to sense-testimony or mortal belief. Up to this time in his thinking the student may have accepted the universe and man as material; and in his belief he may also have accepted many falsities that, deceptively presented as truths, have operated as axioms, axioms that have attempted to prove materiality instead of spirituality real! These falsities, which have assumed the dignity of truth, must be seen as untrue, and denied, before the student can rely wholly upon divine Mind.

The student, however, knows that intelligence and law cannot be seen materially; the very existence of these is beyond the comprehension of matter. So-called mortal mind can never see the intelligence that knows two plus two are four; mortal mind can see only the thinkingless digits that apparently express this law on the page. Mortal mind can never glimpse the law of Love that Jesus expressed when he said to the sick man, "Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole;" but mortals recognize, as the result of the law, the man restored to health. Mortal mind cannot perceive the divine Principle that Mrs. Eddy realized when she wrote, "All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is All-in-all" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 468); yet, mortals may accept the healing of sin and sickness that results from applying this law. Consequently, the student begins to understand, as he reflects more of the qualities of divine Mind, that matter is not able to operate, or to dictate laws; he begins to awaken to another power, the power of good operating in his behalf, the power of divine Mind operating through divine laws.

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