Editorial August 18, 1934 Issue

God's Law Ever Available

W. Stuart Booth

That God's law of harmony, right activity, and perfect control is ever operative and available has been proved since early Bible times. As Mrs. Eddy has stated in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 387): "The history of Christianity furnishes sublime proofs of the supporting influence and protecting power bestowed on man by his heavenly Father, omnipotent Mind, who gives man faith and understanding whereby to defend himself, not only from temptation, but from bodily suffering." When the children of Israel forsook God, and disobeyed His law given to them by Moses, they suffered from pestilence, drought, and defeat in battle; but, according to the Bible record, when they saw the error of their ways, repented truly, and obeyed the law, they were healed and delivered.

This leads to the consideration of a most important point, namely, that in order to be worthy of and realize the protecting and delivering influence of God's law we must acknowledge, love, and obey it. Moses repeatedly voiced the divinely directed promise that obedience to God's law brings freedom from sickness; and in addition he promised that there shall be "rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit." This is as understandable as is the experience of a mathematician who realizes and manifests he harmonizing and liberating effect of mathematical law when he conforms his thinking to it by means of applied understanding.

There have been many instances in recent times when people stricken by drought, scourge, and pestilence have turned to God in prayer for succor and relief, and it has been proved to them that "the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear." A notable instance occurred in the state of Minnesota in the spring of 1877, when, after four successive years of a great plague of locusts, it appeared that the situation the ensuing summer would be even more terrible. Then the Governor of Minnesota issued a proclamation setting aside a day for prayer for deliverance from the plague. In the proclamation he said, "Let us pray for deliverance from an affliction which robs the earth of her bounties, and in behalf of the sufferers therefrom let us plead for comfort to the sorrowful, healing for the sick, succor for the perishing, and larger faith and love for all who are heavily laden." And in closing his proclamation the Governor said, "Let us, moreover, endeavor to deserve a new prosperity by a new realization of the opportunity vouchsafed us, and a new consecration to those things which make for the well-being of men and the glory of God." The good people of Minnesota heeded the call, with the result that the plague was stopped quickly and completely.

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