Editorial July 16, 1932 Issue

Divine Verdicts

Violet Ker Seymer

In the hypothetical mental case on trial, to be found in the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (pp. 430-442), Mrs. Eddy describes, among other things, the prisoner's offense, the opposing counsel's examination, and the verdict of the Judge of the Supreme Court. There she writes (p. 441), "Your attorney, False Belief, is an impostor, persuading Mortal Minds to return a verdict contrary to law and gospel." From this we may deduce that, in human experience, any verdict which is contrary to spiritual law and to the glad tidings of Life, Truth, and Love, is to be regarded, not as a true verdict, but as an imposition of false mortal belief. Afflictive or debasing verdicts, based on materiality, are unchristian because they leave God, Spirit, and true worship out of the question. They run counter to the statement of Christ Jesus to the effect that "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."

It requires honesty to adopt the teachings of Christian Science and consistently practice them. According to these teachings, the healing of sickness is not physical, but metaphysical; and the process of healing quickens and purifies the individual consciousness. If the case on trial be one of sickness, Christian Science instructs the sufferer regarding the relation of physical discord to mental discord, and shows him the necessity of abandoning false thoughts and fears. No divine verdict or law exists in support either of sin or of sickness. Undesirable habits of thought and action can be completely conquered through intelligently acknowledging that God, divine Principle, is the only operating cause, and perceiving from this premise that fear, sin, and sickness are scientifically causeless. God's universal law of eternal life acts beneficently upon every object of His creating.

Supposing the case to be one of sin, we find in Christian Science the scientific way of arresting this imposition. As Truth blots out the belief in sin in the individual human consciousness, the erstwhile sinner finds himself liberated from the old bondage which had deceived him. God, divine Love, does not cast upon His image and likeness the stain of sin. Man's being is the expression of spiritual blessedness and satisfaction.

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