Editorial October 10, 1936 Issue

Heaven Is at Hand

George Shaw Cook

Nothing was ever more truly spoken than the oft-quoted words of Jesus, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you." And yet mortals have persistently held to the belief that heaven, harmony, happiness, health, may be found in some place other than where they are.

This mistaken belief has obtained very largely because of the false theological teaching—entirely contrary to that of Jesus—that heaven is a place afar off, to which one must go through an experience called death. Christian Science teaches, as its Discoverer, Mary Baker Eddy, has said on page 291 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," that heaven "is not a locality, but a divine state of Mind." And this teaching in regard to heaven exactly agrees, it will be seen, with that of Jesus.

Since heaven is not a place, but a divinely harmonious state of Mind, or consciousness, it is plain that it is not to be found in one place more than in another; hence the frequent disappointment of persons who have believed that they could find happiness or health merely by going somewhere. Happiness, then, is not to be found by going to the mountains, or to the seashore, or to any other place, and those who seek it thus are likely to be disillusioned, unless they take with them the "divine state of Mind" which ensures harmony—the kingdom of God, within—wherever one may be. Relatively speaking, enjoyment may seem to be more present in one place than in another; but real joy, which is spiritual, is not attained by going somewhere, or anywhere. Joy is to be found only in right thinking, right knowing, and right doing. Joy resides only in spiritual consciousness.

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