Article June 13, 1931 Issue

Reign of Love Established

MARION WEST GEARE

To one troubled by a lack of spiritual progress, amounting almost to retrogression, the following words from the "Daily Prayer" (Church Manual, Art. VIII, Sect. 4) proved a source of inspiration, leading finally to the harmonious solution of a certain problem: "Let the reign of divine Truth, Life, and Love be established in me, and rule out of me all sin." It was seen by the student that a beclouded sense of the word "established" had hindered a right understanding of this prayer, and had also been one of the chief factors in a slow, halting progress towards Truth, when progress should, on the contrary, have been steady and joyous. The fluctuation and uncertainty had been due to the fact that the reign of Truth had not been established in thought. Mrs. Eddy has so truly said in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 22) that "vibrating like a pendulum between sin and the hope of forgiveness,—selfishness and sensuality causing constant retrogression,—our moral progress will be slow."

The realization came to the student that every time one fails to "stand porter at the door of thought" (ibid., p. 392), every time one harbors motives or performs an act incompatible with the law of Love, one not only is turning from God, but is coincidently failing to grasp an opportunity to rise above the temptation of the moment and so establish a more spiritual consciousness. One of the important concomitants of the law of Love is activity. How could Love be passive? Love, to be Love, must constantly be manifested. And love cannot be entertained in thought without consequent expression in loving actions. A completely harmonious consciousness cannot be maintained without harmonious living: the two are inseparable. Purity of thought brings purity in living; and this in turn evidences steadfast, spiritualized consciousness. The constant manifestation of the ceaseless activity of good, the ceaseless activity of love, is the demand of God, divine Principle. One must therefore never be off guard.

While constant obedience to the law of Love is indeed a noble ideal, the question may arise whether it is possible of attainment. Some who sincerely pray that this law be established in their lives may have found the path very difficult. In spite of all their efforts, various false suggestions have found entrance into thought, and seemingly destroyed, or at least obscured for a time, the good thoughts which had been previously entertained. A flash of envy may obscure contentment; scorn, resentment, or some such inimical suggestion may hinder the manifestation of love; and other erroneous but seemingly intrusive thoughts may keep the student from a realization of the establishment of good in his life and work. Discouragement may follow, and the student may feel as if it were impossible to prevent the stealthy entrance of false suggestion. It is necessary immediately to refuse to be thus discouraged, and to know that it is divinely possible to exercise God-given authority over one's own thinking. If evil thoughts intrude, they must be immediately denied; and in exact proportion to the strength of this denial and the concurrent affirmation of good, harmony will bless one's thinking.

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