Article July 15, 1933 Issue

Protecting the Home

LEONARD LAWRENCE COWAN

Throughout all the history of civilization the home has held a high place in human thought. Christian Science teaches that all things real have their origin in God, Spirit, and therefore are spiritual, reflecting the divine qualities of the creator. Nothing really exists which is not created by Spirit. Since Spirit is the creator, its creations are necessarily spiritual, not material. The house which to material sense appears as brick and mortar is not the true idea of home; for the real home is spiritual, and exists as an idea in Mind. We read in Hebrews, "Every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God."

Of great practical significance is the spiritual understanding of true home, as may be seen from the following experience. A student of Christian Science was confronted with a problem concerning his home. The encumbrance upon it was about to mature, and although he had requested a renewal upon certain terms, the holder of the obligation had refused the request and had signified his intention of foreclosing on the property. To human sense it appeared impossible to find new sources of funds with which to meet the demands. Fear and worry tried to enter his consciousness, for to all appearance he faced a difficult situation.

Knowing that Christian Science offers a panacea for all human problems, he turned his thoughts toward Truth. Then came to him the words of our Leader in "Pulpit and Press" (p. 2): "The real house in which 'we live, and move, and have our being' is Spirit, God, the eternal harmony of infinite Soul. The enemy we confront would overthrow this sublime fortress, and it behooves us to defend our heritage." Here was, indeed, a guide to the solution of his problem! The real house was seen to be spiritual and to exist in divine consciousness. The enemy was recognized as fear, which would enter the unguarded human thought and attempt to overthrow the sense of divine harmony. It was that same enemy which we are called upon to face whenever we forsake reliance upon divine Principle and allow spiritually unillumined human reasoning, human activities, and human conditions to govern us. The student saw, too, that as a child of God he was charged with the duty of defending his God-given heritage. How does the Christian Scientist defend his heritage against the argument of fear and false human thinking? Surely with the weapon of spiritual understanding, which destroys all that is unlike God! This defense requires the steadfast recognition that "the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." The two-edged sword is ever present as the infinite, mighty Word of God. The sure defense against the enemy is here and now available; and no human sense of fear, lack, or limitation can overthrow that which God has created.

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