Article September 9, 1944 Issue

The Name of God

VERA G. CAWTE

"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."

The spiritual import of this commandment may not seem so clear and easy of explanation as that of some of the other Commandments, and for a number of years the writer of this article accepted that opinion and was, in consequence, unable to apprehend its application to everyday problems. It remained for the clear thought of a child to illumine her understanding and make plain the inspired Word.

A class of boys in a Christian Science Sunday School had been asked how they would interpret the third commandment so that it could be made of practical use in their lives. After a few moments of quiet thought a boy of eleven replied: "I think it means we should never say 'I am' anything that is not good. God is I AM, and so we should never say. 'I am tired,' or 'I am afraid,' or 'I am sick,' or 'I am stupid,' because then we are using the name of God unworthily."

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