Article June 30, 1928 Issue

Inheritance

MAUDE E. BEE

An earthly inheritance, because of the dishonesty or ignorance of those intrusted with its care, may never reach the heirs for whom it was intended. According to general belief, one may inherit traits of character which defile him, or a tendency to disease which unfits him for a normal and useful life. Hence, what a sense of joy and relief comes with the assurance that there is "an inhertiance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away"! And we are comforted when we read the promise in Jeremiah, "In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge."

Usually every means possible is taken to safeguard and increase an earthly inheritance, ways and means of using it to the best advantage being carefully considered. Even more important is it to safeguard our heavenly inhertiance, to see that "thieves do not break through nor steal." Self-pity, discouragement, apathy, self-depreciation, would rob us of our birthright. Using our ability and God-given gifts for selfish aims and sense-gratification tends to dissipate our inheritance. The knowledge that one is heir to an earthly inheritance gives confidence, freedom from anxiety, a broader outlook, and opens new vistas of enjoyment. How much more should a realization of our God-given heritage unfold to us latent powers and infinite possibilities of good!

Christian Science helps us to gain this realization; for it teaches that, as Mrs. Eddy sys, "In Science man is the offspring of Spirit. The beautiful, good, and pure constitute his ancestry" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 63). Paul writes in his epistle to the Romans, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." What confidence, what freedom, what joy, come with the knowledge that "now are we the sons of God," and, as such, heirs to unlimited good, heirs to perfection and completeness! One might have a heritage of great wealth, yet, because of his ignorance of the fact or because of its inaccessibility, live in penury and want. Christian Science gives us an understanding of our true inheritance, and is the means whereby we gain access to it. And we find we can enjoy it now, this very day, instead of having to wait until some future time.

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