Editorial June 3, 1950 Issue

DIVINE MIND AND ITS IDEAS

Helen Wood Bauman

The universal belief that every living being has a mind of its own, a mind limited in ability and dependent upon matter for existence, received a powerful correction when God named Himself to Moses as I AM. This revelation, appearing to the understanding of a humble shepherd in a remote district and in a primitive period of human history, still stands as the basic transforming truth of all ages. Mary Baker Eddy says of this self-declaration of Deity (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 258), "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." Only that which is individual and conscious could have uttered itself as Ego, announced itself as Mind.

Moses' grasp of the fact that God is one Mind transformed his character and experience. It gave him meekness that obeyed the mandate of Deity and silenced impulses of human will that claimed to issue from a mind not divine. It made him master of many mortal limitations, for it brought him a better sense of self as God's law-abiding, hence law-controlled, servant. It fitted him to advance humanity toward true unity through obedience to moral law, which demands love for God and neighbor.

Christ Jesus addressed God as Father, as individual Mind, and he fully proved his relationship to divine Mind as that of complete dependence upon it for ability and power and life. He said plainly (John 5:19), "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." On one occasion he counseled his disciples not to be anxious when called upon to defend themselves, for it was not they that would speak, but the Father speaking in them.

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