Evil Destitute of Origin

ELSIE C. WISE

"CHRISTIAN SCIENCE brings to light Truth and its supremacy, universal harmony, the entireness of God, good, and the nothingness of evil," writes Mrs. Eddy on page 293 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." Scriptural authority for the foregoing statement is found in the inspired Word in Genesis, "And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." In the eighth chapter of his Gospel, John records that Jesus pronounced the devil, evil, "a liar, and the father of it," and as having "no truth in him." Again, in Revelation, evil is depicted in these terms: "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world."

The great discovery of "the entireness of God, good, and the nothingness of evil," casts a new light upon spiritual existence as the only reality. Through Christian Science humanity has been shown the way of salvation. No phase of evil has divine authority, and evil was never decreed by God for the purpose of discipline. Humanity is slowly awaking to acknowledge man's God-given dominion, and finding that it is not compelled to bow in supine resignation to devastating error. Thought imbued with the realization of God's presence and allness possesses spiritual power, and herein lies the secret of dominion over evil. This transcends and is wholly contrary to the mistaken notion that evil can be overcome through the exercise of so-called human will.

To those ignorant of the truth of real being, questions frequently arise as to the reason for the many manifestations of evil and their various consequences. The following incident may prove helpful. To a party of tourists about to enter a building of great historical interest, the guide said: "What I shall give as facts, I can substantiate with history; but what is only tradition, I shall give as such. These are many lies told about this place, and I am working every day to break them down." To one member of that party the latter part of these remarks seemed to illustrate the need for refuting the evil suggestions and lies of mortal mind.

Through the teaching of Christian Science we understand that all actual existence comes from divine Mind, and is "very good," and that all that is contrary to the nature of reality is the supposititious fabrication of fraudulent mortal mind, which claims to operate in opposition to the one divine Mind. As one realizes the suppositional nature of mortal mind, the nothingness of evil in all its claims of intelligence, presence, and power is clearly seen. Evil of every name and nature is but erroneous, aggressive mental suggestion, or superstition. There is no place for evil to come from; it has no creator, Principle, law, or cause. Since there is no evil in real being, it is from the false belief in and fear of evil that one suffers; and nothing real or good produces fear. Logically, then, both the thing feared and the fear itself are only suggestion, and are destroyed by the spiritual realization of omnipresent good.

All false belief in something besides God, good, must give place to the understanding of the substance and presence of divine Mind and its ideas. That matter is unreal is shown by Mrs. Eddy's statement in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 233), "Matter must be understood as a false belief or product of mortal mind." Disease is disposed of in the same way; for on page 396 of Science and Health we read, "It breaks the dream of disease to understand that sickness is formed by the human mind, not by matter nor by the divine Mind."

Regardless of how real the suggestion of evil may seem to be, or how severe its aggressiveness; no matter how securely it may seem to have intrenched itself in our thoughts, or how strongly medical law may seem to support it, by diligent search, humbly and gratefully carried on through prayer and consecration, we can realize the Christ-idea which reveals the truth of being, thereby proving the nothingness of evil's claim to power. Thus does divine Love, operating in the human consciousness, heal and redeem. To become allied with this divine power is humanity's greatest need.

The true motive for uncovering evil is always to bless, never to condemn aught but the evil, which must be seen as illusion. Man, the child of God, in constant unity with and controlled by the divine Mind he reflects, could not be accompanied by sin, the result of evil.

The attempts of evil to confuse, frighten, and control one's consciousness are legion. But lifting one's thought to God and steadfastly holding to the ideas of Truth instantly and continuously protects one from the aggressive suggestions of disease, discord, disaster. Realizing that man's supply is spiritual, coming from God, divine Mind, and that it cannot be reached or interrupted by animal magnetism, secures one from loss and the mesmerism of poverty. Man, under the control of divine Mind, cannot be deprived of his God-given activity and service. The divine purpose of man is to manifest God's abundance, and His infinite law cannot be reversed.

Whatever we believe real, whether good or evil, governs our thinking, and thus affects our experience. Ignorant, erroneous thinking, accepting evil suggestions, sees the expression of its own false beliefs.

Many spiritually-minded men and women, through holding steadfastly to the conviction and realization of God's allness and of man's divine heritage of all good, as taught in Christian Science, have proved that a discordant environment can be transformed and happiness realized by "bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

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