Article June 8, 1929 Issue

Arise!

ELISE MURPHEY

In Matthew we read, "A man's foes shall be they of his own household." One of the foes which nearly all Christian Scientists are learning to master is the foe of apathy. How many times has apathy tried to keep us from grasping the wonderful truths which are given us at a Christian Science church service or a Christian Science lecture! How often, when we have tried to study the Bible and the textbook of Christian Science, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, has this foe tried to rob us of the unfoldment of Truth which should always accompany the sincere and thoughtful study of Christian Science! Great freedom and peace have come to those who have conquered this foe.

Another phase of this belief—for it is only a false belief—would make us lie down when we are called to "rise in the strength of Spirit to resist all that is unlike good" (Science and Health, p. 393). When error comes to us for recognition, there sometimes comes with it the temptation to rest a while, suggesting that it will then be easier to overcome the error presenting itself. Jesus said, "Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him." The word "quickly" in this text signifies at once, not after a while. It is usually easier to lock the door of our mental home when error knocks for admission than it is to eject error after we have let it come in.

The account of Christ Jesus' stilling of the tempest is a good example of the immediate destruction of mortal beliefs. In Matthew we read that he entered into a ship with his disciples, and that while he was in the ship there arose a great tempest. At the time, Jesus was asleep, resting, for the multitudes had been thronging him all day. As the tempest increased the disciples became afraid, and in their fear they awoke the Master. The account goes on to say that Jesus arose. He was conscious of the ever-presence and omnipotence of God, of the continuous operation of the divine law of Love for each of God's children. On page 273 of Science and Health our Leader says, "God never ordained a material law to annul the spiritual law." Jesus arose, recognizing that no so-called mortal law could destroy or even disturb God's ideas, who are always governed, sustained, and upheld by the all-powerful law of Life, Truth, and Love. Then he "rebuked the winds and the sea." His understanding of God as the only real power destroyed the evidence of a disturbed sea. And what was the effect of his rising to this spiritual consciousness? "There was a great calm"! Could Christ Jesus have had the victory over the tempest if he had not immediately risen to the recognition of the truth?

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