Editorial August 3, 1929 Issue

"God is universal"

Duncan Sinclair

Nothing is more essential to the well-being of men than a true concept of God, for nothing can compare with the truth about God in its power to influence them. One who believes that God knows both good and evil is almost certain to believe that while God may do good He may also do evil, and be vengeful and cruel; and, thus believing, one may not think it wrong to act after the manner in which he believes God may act. False views of God have vitiated human history throughout the ages. They have been instrumental in setting men against their fellow-men; they have fostered religious bigotry with its persecuting tendencies; and they have mesmerized those who held them into believing that God favors some, while He spurns or is indifferent to others. In short, erroneous beliefs concerning God have been prolific, beyond computation, of prejudice, indifference, and suffering.

Perhaps no erroneous belief as to God's nature has been more far-reaching in its evil effects than that which regards Him as finite—a belief which has sprung from the limited concept of the real man held by mortals. But God is infinite; and this true concept of God Christian Science insists upon in every page of its literature. Mrs. Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes on page 150 of "Miscellaneous Writings" these enlightening words: "God is universal; confined to no spot, defined by no dogma, appropriated by no sect. Not more to one than to all, is God demonstrable as divine Life, Truth, and Love; and His people are they that reflect Him—that reflect Love." The splendid breadth of Mrs. Eddy's inspired vision! How free from that meanness which would seek to regard God as peculiarly one's own, that narrow-mindedness which would limit Him to a locality or circumscribe His nature by dogma or formula! How Christian, after the manner of Christ Jesus' Christianity!

One of the reasons why Christian Science is making a world-wide appeal to-day is because it is revealing to mankind the universal nature of God. God, it teaches, is not limited or finite, but is infinite Mind or Spirit, infinite Principle or Love; and His creation is the perfect reflection of Himself. God as divine Principle is everywhere, continually upholding the law of good; thus sustaining creation in perfect harmony. And the fact that God, good, is infinite necessitates that nothing but that which is good is real; hence, that evil in its every seeming form is unreal. Mrs. Eddy writes (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 140), "The Christian Science God is universal, eternal, divine Love, which changeth not and causeth no evil, disease, nor death."

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