Editorial January 26, 1935 Issue

Happiness

Duncan Sinclair

No one, surely, will deny that Christ Jesus expected those who accepted his teaching to be happy. Comforting his disciples he said, as John records in the fifteenth and sixteenth chapters of his Gospel: "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full;" "Your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you;" "Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." Although on the threshold of one of the most trying experiences to which anyone could be subjected, the Master himself was at peace. Otherwise, how could he have spoken to his disciples as he did?

The joy or happiness which Jesus desired his followers to share with him, and knew they would share, was to result from the understanding of real being which he had imparted to them. The aim of his teaching, based on his knowledge of reality, was that they should know God and man and love God wholeheartedly and their neighbor as themselves, with all that that implied in mastery over evil beliefs—envy, jealousy, malice, hatred, covetousness, sensuousness, and the like. His teaching also inculcated the necessity of treasuring thoughts that are loving, pure, and good, and the putting into practice of these thoughts in daily living.

Unquestionably, Jesus derived much happiness not only from the purity and goodness of his own thoughts, but from the fact that he was able to bless his fellow men by healing them of sickness and sin. What joy, to restore to health those bound for years by disease! What gladness, to bring back the light of intelligence to the clouded mentality! What happiness, to realize for those sunk deep in the mire of sin the purity which belongs to the children of God! Jesus was joyous, glad, happy in his great work of redemption; and those whom he saved or healed must have caught a measure of his spirit, must have experienced a measure of that joy which he manifested. Mrs. Eddy writes (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 57): "Happiness is spiritual, born of Truth and Love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it."

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