Editorial November 12, 1938 Issue

"First bind the strong man"

Violet Ker Seymer

Generally speaking, men have wrestled ineffectually with discordant effects, mental, moral, and physical, for the reason that they have not been able to discover and eradicate their so-called causes. From the standpoint of God, the only cause, there is no cause for evil. Good alone is causative. Evil beliefs are ephemeral.

Christ Jesus presented in metaphor the clue to the problem of evil when he said, "How can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man?" Scientifically interpreting this passage, Mary Baker Eddy writes on page 400 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures": "Mortal mind is 'the strong man,' which must be held in subjection before its influence upon health and morals can be removed. This error conquered, we can despoil 'the strong man' of his goods—namely, of sin and disease."

Granting that all discord, including disease, is traceable to the mortal or "carnal" mind which, as Paul points out, "is enmity against God," how is one to annul its claim to power? How are those duped by its pretenses to be liberated? By understandingly acknowledging the omnipotence and omnipresence of God, infinite divine Mind, as Christian Science teaches. From this premise, we deduce that what is called mortal mind is without any real presence, power, or capacity to make laws. This so-called mind leaves untouched the harmony of man, who is the image of God, the one Mind.

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