Editorial May 4, 1935 Issue

Unceasing Prayer

W. Stuart Booth

The nineteenth Psalm, credited to David, closes with a prayer which is searching and scientific: "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer." In the light of Christian Science this prayer is found to be both healing and regenerative in its effect, for it indicates the simple way of proving that the Mind which was in Christ Jesus is ever present and available to all. It is obvious to thoughtful Christians that the meditations of Jesus' heart, and hence the thoughts which he voiced, were acceptable in the sight of God. Did he not say plainly, "My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me"? This is but one of the many instances when Christ Jesus affirmed his inseverable unity with the Father.

The Master identified not only his words—his thought indicators—with God, but his works as well. He refused the personal adulation which was offered him as a result of his marvelous healing and redemptive works, and directed towards God the grateful thought of those who had been benefited. When he said, "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise," Christ Jesus plainly stated the truth of spiritual reflection which is basic in Christian Science teaching and practice. His understanding of God as the sole Father of man, and of man as God's reflection or expression, made the Master the meekest of men, and also clothed him with divine authority and armed him with the power of omnipotent Truth, Love, and Life by means of which he overcame error—sin, disease, limitation, death.

Evidently the Master intended that his followers be such not by mere profession, but in very deed. He gave specific instruction that they should do the works which he did, that they should humbly and unselfishly serve one another, that they should be forgiving, loving, and pure, all of which implies that they should watch and direct their thinking as he did his. For centuries prior to the discovery of Christian Science it was not deemed possible to obey fully and literally the commands of Christ Jesus. The reason for this sad and limiting notion was that men had been wrongly taught that matter, the opposite of Spirit, is real, substantial, and causative, and that evil is as veritable, attractive, and powerful as good, if not more so. Obviously, those who were thus misled were not thinking in line with the divine Mind which was reflected by Christ Jesus.

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