Editorial November 19, 1949 Issue

ON BEING A LAW TO ONESELF

George Channing

Be a law to yourself. That is an admonition often repeated in the writings of Mary Baker Eddy, Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science. Its meaning, always stated or implied by her, is that one should keep thought so unresistingly in harmony with God's law that, in effect, God's law is one's own law for himself. No conflict is here, because there is no law but God's. That law is not irksome. Quite the contrary. It is the rule of order through which the perfection of the universe is maintained by its perfect Principle, God. To be in accord with that rule is to be without friction, without obstruction to the free use of one's faculties, capacities, and talents, to be just what one is, without frustration or limitation.

It is not true, therefore, that men do not like law. One cannot fail to like freedom from irritating restriction. And, properly enlightened as to the law which protects that freedom, one cannot fail to like that too. King David used the better word "love." "O how love I thy law!" he sang (Ps. 119:97); and great numbers of men and women have since echoed his words under the persuasion of the Christ, which Jesus made manifest, and the instruction of Christian Science, which is the Comforter that Jesus promised.

A primary characteristic of law is that it requires obedience, for without obedience it cannot confer the benefits its operation is designed to bring. Whenever obedience seems difficult, a ready diagnosis is at hand. A false sense of law is being entertained either by humanity attempting to make law or by humanity required to obey law. A remedy may come through the throes of rebellion and the consequent discord which suffers until the individuals involved are impelled to seek the understanding of true law.

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