Article July 19, 1930 Issue

The Beatitudes

SUSAN B. GRANT

Much has been said and written on the Beatitudes; and they will ever be a wellspring of inspiration to the Bible student, bringing renewals of hope, faith, and heavenly aspirations. The word "beatitude" means "blessedness," and "blessed" means enjoying or imparting happiness.

In endeavoring to find a plan by which the beatitudes might be learned exactly and consecutively, a Sunday school teacher saw that each was an outgrowth of the preceding one. Naturally, spiritual progress begins with "the poor in spirit," the receptive thought, the attitude of one who does not know and is willing to admit it, so that he may learn. Self-righteousness is not a teachable attitude. In the parable of the publican and the Pharisee who "went up into the temple to pray," we read that in his attitude of humility and self-renunciation the publican "went down to his house justified rather than the other."

Following this first step of receptivity of Truth comes repentance, sorrow for past mistakes, wrongs, or delay. Perhaps more than any other in Bible history, the experience of the Magdalen covers the whole ground of true repentance and complete reformation, showing that however deep the wrongs, the sorrows, the sins, they can all be wiped out through God's boundless love. At this point thought has naturally reached the stage of meekness—not submissiveness to human opinions, but meekness which expresses strength and calm in the face of difficulties.

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