Editorial March 24, 1928 Issue

"God-given dominion"

Duncan Sinclair

How often have men asked, Can there be a reliable way out of the difficulties and trials which beset human existence? Can there be a scientific method whereby the sickness, the suffering, the sorrow of earth can be overcome or prevented? Is it possible so to think that good, not evil, will dominate—yea, that good alone will be manifested in men's lives? Many have believed it possible to alleviate the conditions which tend to make life on this planet heavy to be borne, but it is questionable whether they have considered it likely that there should ever be found a reliable way, a scientific way, of thinking that would enable mortals to rise superior to the sore trials of material existence.

Christ Jesus sought to teach mankind the way. Speaking to his disciples, he pointed out that he himself was "the way, the truth, and the life." And by these words did he not mean that his life, with the works he performed and the truth he taught, should be taken as an example which should be followed by all men? That Jesus' life was a success is incontrovertible; for in it we behold perfect mastery over the various phases of human belief, including all manner of sin and disease, all manner of so-called material law. With masterly understanding he demonstrated man's "God-given dominion," proving the truth of Mrs. Eddy's words (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 228): "The enslavement of man is not legitimate. It will cease when man enters into his heritage of freedom, his God-given dominion over the material senses."

The question of dominion is of the utmost importance to mankind. As indicated above, many do not believe dominion attainable to any very great extent. What is the reason of this? Simply that they are convinced that human existence is largely, if not altogether, dependent upon matter. They are persuaded that what the physical senses tell them is true—that all the phenomena of so-called material existence is true; and, in consequence, they think it impossible to gain more than a limited sense of dominion over the laws which they believe govern matter and its phenomena.

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