Article January 8, 1949 Issue

Dominion over smoking and drinking gained as student learns to recognize God as only authority

DOMINION AND POWER

MARTHA R. BRUGGEMAN

Men are continually striving to exercise more dominion over their surroundings and their personal and community problems. We cannot conceive of dominion without power. Indeed, the meaning of the word "dominion" includes authority, power, and control.

How direct and plain are these words of Paul's (Rom. 13:1): "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." The student of Christian Science is learning in his daily study of the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, that the one divine power bases all reality. He reads (ibid., p. 228): "There is no power apart from God. Omnipotence has all-power, and to acknowledge any other power is to dishonor God."

Jesus' understanding that the only power is of God enabled him to maintain true composure when Pilate confronted him with the question, "Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?" The Master's answer, "Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above" (John 19:10, 11), recognized no force, no authority, no cause but God. He knew that he had nothing to fear from any so-called human power, be it ruler, judge, or the Roman army.

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