On Which Side?
In "Christian Healing" (p. 10 ) Mary Baker Eddy, our beloved Leader, writes, "If you wish to be happy, argue with yourself on the side of happiness; take the side you wish to carry, and be careful not to talk on both sides, or to argue stronger for sorrow than for joy." She clearly shows us in this admonition that Christian Scientists cannot be halfhearted in their approach to any form of error; that they must stand firm on the only real side, the side of right, the side of God, good; that in this way only can harmony and peace be demonstrated. As this is true in approaching individual problems, so is it true in approaching so-called world problems as they present themselves today. Christian Scientists must be alert to their responsibility to think and argue only on the side of right. There is no doubt that in Christian Science is found the answer to all questions regarding the world problems facing mankind today.
Mortal mind is talking loudly on the side of error, claiming that everything is topsy-turvy; that the world has never before been in such a state of unrest; that the future is uncertain, and that there is no security anywhere, and no peace. What does Christian Science say to this? Can God change? No! Can man in the image and likeness of God change? No! Can His universe change? No! The fact is that there is only one governing power, one government, and that is the government of divine Principle. There is only one man, the man of God's creating. Then let us stand firm on these truths and talk and reason only on the side of perfection. Let us avoid idly voicing or discussing error of any kind. In the face of disturbing radio and newspaper reports, let us turn to Christian Science, and, reversing the false claims of material sense, affirm to ourselves the truth and peace of God, which are always present and ever available.
The Bible tells us that when the hosts of the Syrians with their horses and chariots surrounded the city in which Elisha was sojourning, and his servant came to him advising him of their seeming danger, and questioning, "Alas, my master! how shall we do?" Elisha answered, "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." And the Bible account continues: "And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha."
Again, when Gideon and his people, the Israelites, were in bondage to the Midianites, by united right effort a very small company of Israelites was able to defeat the foe and prove the omnipotence of God, good, and bring peace and freedom to a burdened people.
Christian Scientists have definite work to do. We are united to lessen evil, and we can do this only by standing firm on the side of God. Our allegiance cannot be divided. We have no time to linger over mortal mind analyses of conditions, much less the right to accept them. Error is claiming supremacy. We know that God alone has power. There is in absolute reality no war, no hate, no bitterness, no aggression, no condemnation, and no vindictiveness that can stir up strife among God's children. It is the duty of Christian Scientists to take their position on the side of God's allness and of man as His expression, thus proving the powerlessness and nothingness of all that is unlike good. They must exemplify the allness and omnipotence of good, so that these will be increasingly apparent to human sense, and the false claims of hatred, greed, and aggression, of evil in all its forms, will be overthrown and disappear.
The love expressed by Christ Jesus was universal Love, the Love that is divine Principle, intelligence, wisdom—the Love that is omnipotent. It was in the strength of his understanding of God as Love that he overcame his enemies, conquered sin, sickness, disease, and death, and rose triumphant over matter and mortality. Nothing but Love, understood and demonstrated, will finally overcome all forms of warfare.
Love will melt away hatred, malice, envy, aggression, and vindictiveness, which breed war. What a glorious opportunity we have to prove that, as Mrs. Eddy declares (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 412 ): "The power of Christian Science and divine Love is omnipotent. It is indeed adequate to unclasp the hold and to destroy disease, sin, and death." No matter what the mortal seeming, the truth is that man is the reflection of God, and that right now he is expressing only the qualities which are Godlike. We cannot see the brotherhood of man for the world unless we first see the truth of brotherhood in our individual experience. Each time a thought of fear, sickness, disease, hatred, revenge, death—any of the false suggestions of mortal mind— is met and mastered through Christian Science in individual experience, to that extent are we destroying the sum total of error and hastening the recognition of the kingdom of heaven, the reign of harmony, thus bringing peace on earth and good will to men.
Fighting on God's side means putting on the whole armor of God, in right thinking; and it means wearing this armor all the time. It must never be laid aside. Strife and contention could not continue if each Christian Scientist would stand firm on God's side, praying unceasingly and understandingly, in the realization of the perfection of God and man. Let us "put on the whole armour of God"! In Science and Health Mrs. Eddy writes (p. 216 ): "Spirituality lays open siege to materialism. On which side are we fighting?"
