Editorial April 26, 1930 Issue

Principle and Law

Clifford P. Smith

The New Testament shows that Christ Jesus chose the word "Father" as his usual name for God. Thus, we find not only "my Father," but also "the Father," "our Father," and "your Father." For this choice, he must have had good reasons. Evidently, he used this name because he aimed to lift thought above human generation and mortal life, and point to God as the only author of man. Evidently, also, he used it because the name "Father" denotes and connotes God's divinely parental care and government with respect to man. The love of a parent is the highest type of human love; hence, he used it to indicate the much higher idea of divine Love. "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" Taking the highest human concept of love, the Master employed it to teach the infinite superiority of the divine Love—the divine Principle—which tenderly and omnipotently provides, in all respects, for the welfare of man.

Why did he choose "Father," rather than "Mother" or "Father-Mother"? is a natural question. Surely Jesus, the son of Mary, did not fail to appreciate the love of a mother, nor fail to know that it compares favorably with the love of a father. The probable answer is that he adapted his teaching to the thought of his time. Not until nineteen centuries later was it possible for a spiritual teacher to employ the complete name, "Our Father-Mother God." (See "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, page 16.) It is to be considered, however, that, spiritually speaking, "Father," like "man," is a neuter word, not related to sex.

Consider the Master's teaching in its application to fear; than which no aspect of evil is more harmful and prevalent. The gist of fear with any person is doubt that he has enough protection and support. A normal child is not afraid in the presence of his normal parents. He is sure that they can and will do all that is necessary in any situation. "How much more," then, should we feel sure that the "ever-operative divine Principle" (Science and Health, p. 123) is doing all that is necessary for our protection and support in every situation. "How much more" should we be completely and continually assured by "a sense of the ever-presence of ministering Love" (ibid., p. 567). As an airplane is swifter than a foot runner, even so and much more do the care and government of divine Principle exceed all human expedients for the unfolding of good in human experience.

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