Editorial March 24, 1945 Issue

Glory versus Vainglory

Margaret Morrison

There is no better example of the vanity and disaster which attend vainglory than the Bible story of Nebuchadnezzar as related in the fourth chapter of Daniel. Here we find a king boasting of the greatness and power of the kingdom which he had built for his own honor and glory. We are told how the power and glory were taken from him, and he was reduced to living as a beast of the field until his "understanding returned" unto him, and he gave all glory unto God. Then was his kingdom restored to him with added majesty as in humility he acknowledged and honored the Most High.

Today the material world is suffering from the effects of the same vainglory which would take unto itself power over men and nations and, in its vanity, defy the power of God to overthrow its will. But the pride of personal power and its "little brief authority" are vain. This vanity of vainglory, however, is not always so conspicuously shown forth in would-be mighty ways. Its influence is suggested in almost every human organization, large or small, political, business, or religious. The vainglory of personal leadership would find its way through human will power, egotistical personal efficiency, fancied superiority of understanding, priority of age, influence of position, or some other belief of power apart from divine Principle. St. Paul gave this good counsel to the Galatians: "Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another." And Mary Baker Eddy tells us on page 268 of "Miscellaneous Writings": "The Christian Scientist keeps straight to the course. His whole inquiry and demonstration lie in the line of Truth; hence he suffers no shipwreck in a starless night on the shoals of vainglory."

Of that great master Christian and Scientist, Jesus of Nazareth, St. John has said. "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." Here is found no taint of vainglory to dim that true glory which is "grace and truth," wisdom and beauty, strength and gladness, the substance and immortality of Spirit.

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