Article April 20, 1940 Issue

"Look up, and lift up your heads"

JOHN RANDALL DUNN

In the twenty-first chapter of Luke's Gospel is to be found a record of certain startling utterances of Christ Jesus. He who spake as never man spake foretold the coming of a period of turbulence, tribulation, and distress, which, he said, would cause men's hearts to fail for fear. The Master unquestionably was preparing his immediate and future followers for the mighty overturning which his spiritual teaching must inevitably bring to the carnal mind before lasting peace and harmony can be experienced.

In the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," its inspired author, Mary Baker Eddy, refers to this mental and physical stirring up as "chemicalization," which she defines as "the upheaval produced when immortal Truth is destroying erroneous mortal belief" (p. 401). Again, in the same book she writes (p. 540): "In Isaiah we read: 'I make peace, and create evil. I the Lord do all these things;' but the prophet referred to divine law as stirring up the belief in evil to its utmost, when bringing it to the surface and reducing it to its common denominator, nothingness. The muddy river-bed must be stirred in order to purify the stream."

Students of Christian Science, therefore, who allow themselves to be dismayed and perplexed by the present world upheaval are without excuse. Of all people, they should best understand what seems to be happening in human affairs, and the wherefore thereof, and thus be able to maintain their poise, calmness, and certain expectation of Truth's victory. Our revered Leader gives a comforting message to those sufferers whose cases seem aggravated when they become students of the textbook. (See Science and Health, p. 422.) She shows that indications of an upheaval are generally the cheering signs of a clearing up of the whole condition.

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