Editorial January 5, 1935 Issue

One Real Power

DUNCAN SINCLAIR

IN his Sermon on the Mount Jesus uttered the words, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil." And Paul, his faithful follower, wrote to the Romans, "Recompense to no man evil for evil." The teachings of Jesus and Paul on this subject are thus identical. Both stress an essential of Christian character.

Were the Master and the Apostle to the Gentiles voicing an impossible doctrine when they asked Christians not to return evil for evil? Sometimes as one regards the mental attitude and actions of men towards each other, even in these modern times, one might think they did. For how often do we see men doing the very thing Paul insists they should not do—recompensing evil for evil, striking back angrily at opponents, seeking to injure even as they believe they have been injured. "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." How the desire for revenge seems to persist! And how utterly unsatisfying and unprofitable it is to those who are foolish enough to practice it!

Christian Science is shedding an extraordinarily clear light on the question of evil and, consequently, on what ought to be one's attitude towards evil. The light is so brilliant, indeed, that in it evil entirely disappears as reality. How can this be? Christian Science reveals the truth that God is infinite good. Since God is infinite good, nothing the opposite of good in reality exists. Thus, evil is unreal. It will readily be admitted that should this be apprehended by anyone, he cannot longer regard evil as formerly. He cannot longer regard it as a power. He cannot longer regard it as something which he may use in his relationships with others. In other words, whoever understands the unreality of evil can no longer rationally use evil as a weapon either of offense or of defense in his dealings with mankind.

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