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.

In reality, peace always has been and ever will be. It unfolds to human comprehension through spiritual understanding. Peace flows ceaselessly from God, the omniactive Mind, which fills all space. Peace and harmony are characteristics of the kingdom of heaven, which, as Jesus taught, is ever at hand. By understanding the facts of true existence, as revealed in Christian Science, one is enabled to demonstrate the truth that man is inseparable from God, his divine Principle. It is thus that one is enabled to bring peace, health, and harmony into his own life and that of others. It is thus also that he gains the realization that he is even now dwelling in the heavenly kingdom and rejoicing in its pure and exalting atmosphere—that in very truth the kingdom of God is within his own consciousness of ever-present Love.

The true peace to which Jesus referred is recognized and accepted, experienced and cherished, by all who put off the mortal or material concept of existence and imbibe his spiritual idealism. On page 260 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." Mary Baker Eddy states, "The conceptions of mortal, erring thought must give way to the ideal of all that is perfect and eternal." And she adds in the next paragraph, "Science reveals the possibility of achieving all good, and sets mortals at work to discover what God has already done." Perfection characterizes all that God has done, and it is incumbent on each one to free himself from mortal beliefs by acquiring spiritual understanding, so that he may demonstrate the truth that man is God's perfect expression, forever at peace.

Enduring peace, among nations in a world now apparently very discordant, is a glorious ideal. The consummation of this ideal is even now in process of achievement, notwithstanding the contrary testimony of material sense. There is a constantly growing army of Christianly scientific peacemakers who, according to their understanding, daily demonstrate man's unity with God and strive to follow in the way pointed out by Christ Jesus. They know that, to human sense, it is a way of self-sacrifice and manifold trials, but they also know it is the way of glorious opportunities for victories over error, demonstrations of the power of Truth to destroy every form of evil which presents itself in the path of their spiritual progress.

Our Way-shower's wisdom, understanding, and unfathomable love enabled him to be the victor over materiality and mortality. His were life-giving conquests because he understood so thoroughly that man is inseparable from God, who is Life, the divine Principle of all true existence. Neither mortal mind nor any of its emissaries ever succeeded in disrupting his peace. He vanquished them all. He overcame the world. His way is the way of Christian Science. None has followed him in it so closely as did the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science. Our beloved Leader has made the way plain by unmasking the subtleties of animal magnetism, or evil's aggressive modes of operation, and showing how to demonstrate the nothingness of whatever claims to oppose the one infinite divine Mind.

Mortal mind may seem not to yield its claim to reality without a struggle. The violent aggressions of today are seen in the light of Christian Science to have a deeper significance than that of an unholy desire for material conquest or world domination. The visible forms of aggression rest upon the arrogant assumption of mortal mind that it can supplant Christian idealism with paganistic and moral-destroying doctrines. Any gain that it may appear to make is ephemeral, and causes the scientific peacemaker to rise spiritually higher, to a fuller realization of evil's nothingness and of divine Love's allness. Mortal mind would, if it could, obliterate every waymark of the Christian idealism that is destined to lead to its own annihilation and the universal recognition of God's allness.

It is true that democracy is the highest type of government known to humanity. But it is also patent that democracies are not yet immune to malign mental forces boring from within as well as striking from without. They gain entrance because such deterrents to peace as apathy, worldliness, and love of self are allowed to stultify true thinking and right reasoning. It is then that mortal mind, through what is termed animal magnetism, deceives many by suggesting peace on a false basis. In such a circumstance the unwise sometimes become apathetic to the necessity of vigorously handling the aggressive claims of animal magnetism. This work should be competently done. The following statement from Science and Health should cause the unwise sleepers to awake and buy oil for their lamps (p. 102): "The looms of crime, hidden in the dark recesses of mortal thought, are every hour weaving webs more complicated and subtle. So secret are the present methods of animal magnetism that they ensnare the age into indolence, and produce the very apathy on the subject which the criminal desires." However, the world chemicalization undoubtedly is causing Christianity's adherents to discard both apathy and indolence, and to seek to attain more of the spirit of Christ's demonstrable Christianity.

A large portion of humanity today is standing aghast, and questioning, "Why does God permit material might to be exalted above His own power, to cause so much suffering?" The Scriptures show clearly that all suffering results from ignorance of God and His true creation. Humanity must learn that God knows nothing about matter and evil. He knows only His own perfect creation. So-called material might, like all evil, is only the phantasmagoria of false material sense, which eventually will be self-destroyed. Christian Scientists remain calm while evil boasts its false claims, calm in the understanding that, as Mrs. Eddy states (ibid., p. 186): "The only power of evil is to destroy itself. It can never destroy one iota of good."

The Christ, Truth, is speaking today to all who are oppressed and to those who are experiencing the shock of tyranny and despotism: "Look up, . . . for your redemption draweth nigh." The power of Truth is available today; it needs only to be demonstrated. No so-called material power can withstand the might of omnipotent Mind. God's minute men are they who, realizing this truth, are ever listening to hear and to follow Mind's directing. Is not the Christ even now repeating this assurance, tenderly, lovingly, insistently: "Behold, I give unto you power . . . over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you"? How marvelous the promise! And how beautiful is the peace of divine Love, which is clearly available for all nations and peoples!

Copyright, 1940, by The Christian Science Publishing Society, One, Norway Street, Boston, Massachusetts. Entered at Boston post office as second-class matter. Acceptance for mailing at a special rate of postage provided for in section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized on July 11, 1918.