Editorial May 26, 1928 Issue

True Hope

Ella W. Hoag

When Paul wrote, "Now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three," he certainly presented cardinal virtues which have always been loved and appreciated to some extent by all. Faith and charity are very frequently in the thought and on the tongues of men, and their important place in human experience is never questioned. Hope, on the other hand, while placed by the apostle in such important company, is not always so highly regarded nor is its companionship so frequently sought. All too often it is apparently lost sight of, even when most needed, and when if cherished and used it would bring most decisive blessing.

That true hope is always expectant of good goes without saying, for it inevitably carries with it a tone of happiness. It is ever looking away from evil to the contemplation of goodness, and expects the establishment of right in place of wrong. The hope which looks Spiritward must ever carry with it patience and perseverance to the end of all right achievement. It goes hand in hand with courage and assurance, and blesses every least association with it.

Although the Christian Scientist accepts the desirability and the final necessity of so understanding the omnipresence and omnipotence of God that he shall be able to prove them instantaneously, nevertheless he needs often both hopefully to wait and hopefully to press on to this accomplishment. In doing this he rejoices that he can grasp God's promises wherein the writer of Hebrews tells us "we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast."

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