Editorial December 7, 1935 Issue

Father-Mother

Violet Ker Seymer

In "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 186) Mrs. Eddy writes, "We learn in the Scriptures, as in divine Science, that God made all; that He is the universal Father and Mother of man; that God is divine Love: therefore divine Love is the divine Principle of the divine idea named man; in other words, the spiritual Principle of spiritual man." There is power in the right understanding of the Father-Mother God, power also in our appreciation of good. Why? Because this appreciation of real being, originating in God, is related to the omnipotence of good. This appreciation of righteousness, honesty, purity, and all other lovable qualities is divine because "there is none good but one, that is, God."

If one is affected with disease or obsessed by some sinful trait or habit which, according to human theories, is traced to one's ancestry, how is freedom to be found? Through spiritual awakening. Christian Science teaches one to turn at once and forever away from burden to blessing, away from the parody of material inheritance to the actual, perfect heritage impartially bestowed on all by the one Father-Mother. Divine Love is incapable of imparting what it does not include. Actually, there is no anterior or posterior evil, for nothing is anterior or posterior to everlasting Life and divine goodness. Our Leader writes (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 63), "The beautiful, good, and pure constitute his [man's] ancestry." Spirit is the source of man's being, and our aim as Christian Scientists is to demonstrate this true being. But in our endeavor to put off materiality do we put up a feeble defense against an alleged mighty foe? Do we fight the material claim of heredity with fear rather than with spiritual authority? Is our thinking sometimes negative rather than positive?

The denial of evil is effective in proportion as it is accompanied by genuine rejoicing in man's true and incorruptible heritage derived from Spirit. We should set ourselves to realize the blessedness and might of coexistence with eternal Mind. Joy unspeakable should accompany our research in the realm of the real, for coexistence with God imbues man with invariable goodness, unalterable health, immutable purity, and the unmarred beauty of holiness. To dwell with thankfulness upon that which is, results in our awakening from the superstitious dream of that which is not. In the sanctuary of spiritual being there is everything to know and rejoice in, and there is nothing to put off or to dread. The source of man's consciousness is the one Father-Mother, and it is incapable of depletion, since divine Love is inexhaustible.

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