Editorial March 5, 1932 Issue

Man

Violet Ker Seymer

In the Old Testament it is recorded that after a period of mourning and fasting, Daniel came to the river Hiddekel, where, he said, "There came ... and touched me one like the appearance of a man, ... and said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong." He was previously bidden to "understand the words ... and stand upright." There can be no doubt whatever that in this intuitive experience the recognition of his spiritual manhood quickened and strengthened Daniel, banished his mental darkness, and made him divinely aware of God's love for man.

Can the same vision, the same strength, bless us to-day? Can we reach the spiritual heights symbolized by Hiddekel? We assuredly can, for Mrs. Eddy defines "Hiddekel" as "divine Science understood and acknowledged" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 588). In this understanding of real being, coupled with acknowledgment, or owning, lies the power of every demonstration in Christian Science.

Before this invigorating vision of man touched Daniel's consciousness he describes himself as having been "in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground." Before the light of Christian Science dawned on us, were not we more or less asleep in materiality, our face to the ground, dispirited, and subjected, by unenlightenment, to sin and suffering? But the same invigorating message holds good to-day: "Be strong, yea, be strong." In other words, behold the unfallen image of man, and be that man, for in the sight of God, the all-knowing, there is no fallen man.

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