Editorial December 7, 1946 Issue

Let Us Prove Envy Unreal!

John Randall Dunn

A biblical caption for the fifth chapter of Job reads. "The happy end of God's correction." The concluding verse of the chapter sums up its many terse and pithy apothegms thus: "Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good." This advice may be followed with profit by every student of Christian Science. The fifth chapter of Job should be recommended reading for all who seek divine protection against the malicious shafts of the carnal mind.

At the outset, we find uncovered two of humanity's subtlest enemies—wrath and envy. And who are those who are deceived thereby? Hear the Scripture (verse 2): "Wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one." Foolish and silly indeed are those mortals who allow themselves to be victimized by these would-be assassins. What a portrayal of the sad effects of wrath and envy do we find in the story of Cain and Abel! There was no valid reason for Cain's anger and jealousy. When he saw that Abel's offering was better than his, all he had to do to gain similar divine favor was to bring his own work up to a higher standard of excellence. But no; self-willed, foolish mortal mind, green-eyed with baseless envy, brings to the Scriptures their first record of murder.

Without doubt, envy, like fear, may be said to be one of the primal attributes of the so-called mind of mortals. It betokens a complete absence of knowledge of a loving, infinitely good creator, who has given to all of His children blessings "pressed down .... and running over." "Envy." writes Mary Baker Eddy, "is the atmosphere of hell. According to Holy Writ, the first lie and leap into perdition began with 'Believe in me'" (Message to The Mother Church for 1902, p. 3).

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