Editorial March 20, 1948 Issue

THE NEW NAME

L. Ivimy Gwalter

How important a means of identification is one's name! To everything one does, directly or indirectly, his name is attached. To have a good name in a community is to command respect. Again, in the name of his government one may claim protection and avail himself of authority, provided the government is sound and he is living in obedience thereto.

The Bible lays great stress on names as indications of nature or character. Thus Adam named creation as he beheld it and attributed to it his own mortal misconceptions of reality. Moses perceived the name of God as I AM. Mary Baker Eddy says in her "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 258): "Error, or Adam, might give names to itself, and call Mind by the name of matter, but error could neither name nor demonstrate Spirit. The name, I AM, indicated no personality that could be paralleled with it; but it did declare a mighty individuality, even the everlasting Father, as infinite consciousness, ever-presence, omnipotence; as all law, Life, Truth, and Love." His recognition of the nature of God as I AM conferred upon Moses the authority of his leadership.

The Biblical names of children were often chosen with great care, sometimes pointing to the peculiar circumstances attendant upon their conception and birth; and in experiences of supreme spiritual illumination or triumph a person's name was frequently changed. Thus, through his acknowledgment of the Christ, the disciple hitherto known as Simon Bar-jona became Peter, the stone, indicative of the rock or foundation of Truth. It is significant that after his resurrection Christ Jesus addressed Peter, who had three times denied him, by his old name and three times put to him the searching question, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?" How deep must have been Peter's introspection in those moments; how genuine his overcoming and his baptism of love! As far as the record shows, from that time on he remained Peter, girt with Christly power. Jesus performed his mighty works in the name of the Father; and the apostles, planted upon the rock of Truth, exercised the same spiritual authority in the name of Jesus Christ.

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