Editorial January 27, 1934 Issue

Detecting and Rejecting Evil

W. Stuart Booth

Throughout human history men have endeavored to overcome evil and to gain freedom from its manifold forms of limitation and enslavement. These endeavors have been and are the prime aim and object of mankind's many and varied phases and forms of worship, including even some of those called paganistic. All of this may well be taken to indicate that men have an inherent sense that evil is abnormal, although this is often belied by their practices, arguments, and experiences. In spite of the pure preaching and perfect practice of Christianity presented by Christ Jesus, mankind, including many of the Master's purported followers, have persisted in the belief that evil is veritable, powerful, and sometimes attractive. No wonder their efforts to overcome it have been unsatisfactory!

The teaching of Christian Science regarding evil is simple, scientific, and satisfying, because it is based upon a wonderful fact which was definitely stated by Christ Jesus, that the devil or evil is a liar and the father or source of lies, and "there is no truth in him." This Christianly scientific classification of evil as error furnishes the only proper means for overcoming and obliterating it, for if evil were true or an expression of Truth it necessarily would be eternal. The fact that evil is false, and hence impotent, is deduced from the reasonable premise that God, the one infinite creator of all reality, is good in nature and expression; whereas evil is not creative but destructive in its very nature. "Divine logic and revelation coincide," writes Mrs. Eddy on page 93 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." And she continues, "Good never causes evil, nor creates aught that can cause evil."

Christian Science presents the spiritual means and scientific method for mastering evil which were prescribed and practiced by Christ Jesus. His knowledge of the fact that God, Spirit, is all-embracing Truth, and that matter is but material belief objectified, enabled him to overcome that phase of evil called sickness. In fulfilling his mission of bearing witness unto the truth, he detected and rejected error, including disease, and this enabled him to heal "all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people." The Master's understanding of the affluence of divine Love resulted in his disproving the evil claim of limitation and lack, as when he fed the thousands who had followed him into the wilderness in their eager desire to hear his redemptive message. Jesus' acquaintance with God as the only Life enabled him to see as false and thus overcome every phase of evil, including death.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Editorial

Seeing and Hearing