Editorial May 23, 1942 Issue

Spiritual Encouragement

Peter V. Ross

Consciously or unconsciously every human being is stirred by encouragement to think and work more effectively and to win higher and more lasting achievements. At no time in world history have so many people been in greater need of the cheering, heartening, strengthening power of right encouragement. It is a potent antidote to the fear, turmoil, and defeatism which appear to beset mankind so confusingly today.

But what is right encouragement? Is it blind optimism? Is it wishful thinking? Is it merely whistling to keep up one's own or another's courage? No, the encouragement which Christian Science offers is an infusion into one's thought of courage, springing from the unshakable confidence that God is absolute intelligence, Life, Love, Principle. Hence He neither promulgates nor permits the strife and danger which a material sense of things asserts is surrounding and assailing us all. His is a realm, and truly there is no other realm, of law and order. He holds His beloved people in His omnipotent care without a moment's cessation. He bestows on us only joy, peace, plenty, satisfaction.

The Bible is full of impelling declarations which move us to have faith in the triumph of good over evil, safety over a sense of peril, right over wrong. Moreover, the Bible records many instances of spiritual encouragement, bringing about demonstrations in human affairs of the potency and victory of the forces of right. Time after time Moses assured the children of Israel, and these assurances, planted on a realization of divine Mind's presence and power, brought them through dire troubles and dangers to the promised land —the conscious demonstration of happiness and security. The lives of Daniel, David, Joseph, and other characters of the Old Testament contain many occurrences proving the salutary effect of spiritual encouragement. Isaiah approves its use in these words: "They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil."

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