Editorial August 13, 1938 Issue

God's Changeless Goodness

George Shaw Cook

In answer to the question, "What is God?" Mary Baker Eddy uses the following synonymous terms (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 465): "Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love." But these seven synonyms, although perhaps the ones most frequently used by Christian Scientists, are not by any means the only terms used by Mrs. Eddy in defining God. For example, in her definition of God in the Glossary (ibid., p. 587) she refers to Him as "the great I am." And in other places in the Christian Science textbook she speaks of God as creator, cause, Father-Mother, infinite good, the one Ego, substance, intelligence, and so forth. Therefore, in thinking and talking of God it would seem a mistake for students of Christian Science to confine themselves to the use of the seven synonyms first referred to above.

The Psalmist sang, "I will praise thy name, O Lord; for it is good," and our revered Leader writes (ibid., p. 286): "In the Saxon and twenty other tongues good is the term for God. The Scriptures declare all that He made to be good, like Himself,—good in Principle and in idea. Therefore the spiritual universe is good, and reflects God as He is." Perhaps there is no term used to describe God that is more satisfactory and more easily comprehensible than infinite good. Indeed, the word "God" itself is said to be a contraction of the word "good." And to understand that God is in fact limitless, eternal good, the divine Principle of all true goodness, is in every instance helpful to one who is entertaining a belief that in some way, form, or manner evil is present and has power.

Whether the phase of evil which is presented to one for acceptance is sickness or sin, lack, woe, sorrow, discord, or death, the conscious realization of the allness and ever-presence of good as the only power, law, or activity will dispel the belief that evil is or could be real.

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