Article December 28, 1940 Issue

Spiritual Understanding and Enduring Peace

OSCAR GRAHAM PEEKE

The book of Proverbs stresses the advisability of acquiring both wisdom and understanding. Relative to the former, it states that "her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." Paths of peace for all nations and peoples have been sought and longed for by countless individuals since those words were written. Also there have been a large number of men and women whom the world has called wise, but apparently not many who have discovered a direct connection between peace and true wisdom. "The wisdom that is from above," the Apostle James states, "is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." These are simple and beautiful characteristics of true Christianity.

Christ Jesus was the wisest and most peaceful individual who ever inhabited this planet. Being immeasurably imbued with "the wisdom that is from above," he distinguished the true from the false concept of peace. He stated at one time to his disciples, and for future generations, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you." Had not the true purport of this and many other of his utterances been early lost, as materiality, wisdomless creeds, and dissensions obtained a foothold in the church, the Christly gift of enduring peace might now be a universally recognized reality. However, the world is becoming increasingly grateful that the discovery of Christian Science, in the year 1866, by Mary Baker Eddy, not only restored Christian healing to mankind, but also threw a new light on the Scriptures, revealing hidden gems of heavenly wisdom, and showing the practical value of every recorded statement of Christ Jesus for demonstrating happiness and peace.

Right-thinking persons desire to live peaceable lives, but humanity in general, lacking true wisdom, seems not to know how to go about doing so. The unillumined human mind rebels against the Scriptural and Christianly scientific teaching that man is spiritual and perfect. Christian Science demonstrates this truth in healing, thus proving that human concepts of imperfection and mortality are falsities, illusions of material sense. So-called mortal mind, being rebellious, could not have a correct concept of peace, but only such peace "as the world giveth," an unreal, ephemeral peace. To live in peace, humanity must gain the understanding that God is the only Mind, and that the carnal or mortal mind does not exist in reality. This truth is fundamental in Christian Science. It is the basis of all spiritual healing; and because this is so, humanity will awaken more and more to the understanding that divine Mind is the only Mind, and that man reflects and expresses this Mind. Thus only can lasting peace be established.

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