Article July 5, 1930 Issue

True Happiness

MARJORIE LIGERTWOOD

Mortals seem to be engaged in an unending search for happiness. Ignorant of the fact that it cannot be found in materiality, they spend their time in a fruitless search for it, perhaps in the mere accumulation of material riches, in business or social success, in travel, or in art, little knowing that the craving within the human heart is really for "the kingdom of God," and that it can never be satisfied with anything less.

How grateful are Christian Scientists that they know where to find true happiness! It lies in mentally seeing God's perfect spiritual kingdom all about us, whatever our material surroundings may seem to be. Mrs. Eddy says in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 57), "Happiness is spiritual, born of Truth and Love;" and Jesus said, "Your joy no man taketh from you." The Master knew that the real man lives in Spirit, not in matter. It is time we ceased thinking of Jesus as a "man of sorrows." His parting legacy of "joy" to all his followers was not one of mere words, but a sure promise that, even as he had overcome the tribulation of material thinking and had entered into the joy of his Father's kingdom, where Spirit reigns supreme, so they could claim the same heavenly happiness. Such joy is a deep wellspring of happiness within the heart that knows God, and from this heaven-born knowledge no material sense of things can separate us.

Christian Scientists are happy, not because they never have any troubles, but because they know they always have on hand the unfailing remedy for whatever discord may seem to confront them on their ascending path. This remedy consists in turning away from the material sense of discord and gratefully and prayerfully realizing that man lives, moves, and has his being in the realm of Spirit, where discord is unknown. Jesus realized that man's divine heritage includes joy and happiness; and to the heart that is learning of man's indestructible unity with God, good, this happiness is as spontaneous as the song of birds and as natural as the freshness of flowers. The Scriptures point to the real and primitive harmony of being, "when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy;" and the real man has never fallen from this joyous state.

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