Editorial March 29, 1930 Issue

Peace through Understanding

Duncan Sinclair

Peace of mind, restfulness, ease of heart—what would not mortals give for these? What would not many of them give for freedom from sickness and sin and the troubles that so frequently accompany these evils? But how vain, many times, have been the efforts of men to gain that repose after which they have yearned! And how true that mere physical release will not of itself bring it, for peace is mental! Paul, with his deep appreciation of spiritual things, knew this and analyzed the situation accurately when he wrote to the Romans: "To be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."

Paul, then, clearly distinguishes between the carnal mind and spiritual-mindedness, making plain the joyous fact that spiritual-mindedness produces life and peace. Can it be true that the apostle is stating a universal law, a law which is true everywhere and under all circumstances, a law as true for the one who is suffering from lack of peace of mind as for the one who is suffering from lack of health? If so, it were well to investigate it more fully, since release may thereby be gained.

Now Christian Science agrees entirely with Paul's statement that, in belief, carnal-mindedness brings suffering, and even death, and that spiritual-mindedness results in life and peace. But this Science goes farther in its analysis. It shows that the carnal mind is but another name for material sense—that sense which mortals believe in and rely upon so much—and that it is material sense which is responsible for all human suffering and dispeace. It shows, further, that material sense is false, and therefore unreliable, but that spiritual sense, the sense which enables us to understand God, Spirit, is true, and therefore dependable. Furthermore, Christian Science teaches that in proportion as men gain an understanding of God and are obedient to His law, they overcome the materiality which is the product of so-called material sense and obtain the consciousness of peace. Mrs. Eddy writes on page 390 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," "It is our ignorance of God, the divine Principle, which produces apparent discord, and the right understanding of Him restores harmony."

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