Editorial January 24, 1931 Issue

"Through the midst"

VIOLET KER SEYMER

We read that on a certain occasion when Jesus was preaching in the temple the Jews took "up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by." His hiding place was the sanctuary of spiritual consciousness, into which no pursuing errors of material sense have ever entered. When evil seemed to be directly aimed at him and his ministry, the attack was never alarming to Jesus, for the simple reason that, to him, God, good, alone was real. He never admitted the validity of any claim to power in opposition to God, infinite good. Spiritual understanding was his complete protection and authority at all times; and it is ours, as we abide in it.

Tests may appear in the form of epidemics, sinful temptations, fear of mental malpractice, poverty, dread of disease, or any other dread. But as Christian Scientists we can pass unharmed and undismayed through all such temptations provided we keep ever before us the fact that man is not material, but spiritual, and that our true consciousness cannot be and is not for one moment bereft of spiritual harmony and dominion. No mist of sadness or discouragement can be cast over spiritual joy, or diminish the steadfast courage which is ours by the grace of God.

We also read that those whom Jesus was once addressing in the synagogue rose up against him, and thrust him out of the city, and led him to the brow of a hill "that they might cast him down headlong. But he passing through the midst of them went his way." To him matter was not substance. Therefore he could go through what seemed to others to be closed doors and escape from any situation when he desired to do so. His way was spiritual. Matter, enmity, idle threats, could not divert his thought from the spiritual or cause him to think dually, fearfully. We may assume that he did not attempt to protect suppositional life in matter, knowing that life is spiritual. Such true thinking is always triumphant and substantial. Error cannot invade it. Nothing but our own consent to admit error as real and then adopt some evil suggestion as though it were our own thought, can hinder us from being spiriutally upheld and from going on our way just as firmly, calmly, and continuously as did Jesus. The Christian Scientist does not adopt evil suggestions but spiritual ideas.

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