Article February 6, 1932 Issue

Our Standard of Living

HERBERT H. NORSWORTHY

"God requires wisdom, economy, and brotherly love to characterize all the proceedings of the members of The Mother Church," writes Mary Baker Eddy in Article XXIV, Section 5, of the Church Manual. This rule of conduct, adopted and practiced universally by rulers, governments, and all engaged in human endeavor, would transform the world of to-day into a happier and healthier place. The word "economy," it may be rightly observed, does not signify meanness or closeness, but rather prudent and thrifty management.

The world may be regarded as a state of collective consciousness objectified, and to-day it is experiencing the results of past collective thinking. Humanity almost universally has been contemplating loss through the dislocation and wastage of war, burdens of debts, distrust, resentment, lack of confidence, and fear of further disasters. The product of such turbulent thinking is seen in the disturbance of industry with its offspring—unemployment, lack, distress, and unstable currencies.

Since humanity has so generally adopted matter as the standard of value, the great fear that besets mortals is that they may not be able to acquire and retain enough material things to sustain life. When this fear is acute, it may induce hoarding of money or commodities, thus rendering useless for the time being things which in circulation are of service to the community. When it is more clearly seen that one section of a community cannot suffer or remain impoverished without adversely affecting others, brotherly love will be recognized as an absolute necessity to individual and general prosperity.

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