Article August 26, 1950 Issue

"PRAISE YE THE LORD"

KATHLEEN O'CONNOR

THE Bible is so full of exhortations to praise God that it may be helpful to consider, in the light of Christian Science, the true meaning of praise, why it is necessary, and how it may best be expressed.

Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p.2), "God is not moved by the breath of praise to do more than He has already done, nor can the infinite do less than bestow all good, since He is unchanging wisdom and Love." God, Spirit, maintains His perfect universe of spiritual ideas in perpetual harmony; He is not affected by the praise or dispraise of mortals. A right understanding of praise, however, uplifts human thought to behold God's glory and to recognize man, His image and likeness, as the reflection, or expression, of this glory.

Dictionary definitions of "praise" include the following: "To glorify, espec. God, by homage; to magnify, espec. in song." It is interesting to note the common origin of the words praise, appraise, appreciate, prize, price, and precious. Praise, as understood in Christian Science, has a deeper meaning than the mere singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, inspiring and uplifting as these have been to Christians throughout the centuries. When we recognize Christian Science as the pearl of great price, we take the first step in appraising or estimating the value of an understanding of God in our lives. We rejoice in finding the treasure spoken of by the Master, which one straightway goes and sells all that he has in order to make his own. In other words, when we value this glorious revelation above all else, we are willing to pay the price of it by abandoning false gods, false pleasures, and erroneous habbits, such indulgence in alcohol and tobacco, so that this precious truth may occupy first place in our lives. Unless we are willing to do this, our praise of God is not yet whole-hearted.

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