Article October 6, 1951 Issue

OUR DIVINE GOVERNMENT

GUY B. NEWARK

From almost all sides one hears of laws and regulations tending to hinder, restrict, or frustrate mankind's legitimate and profitable activity; of the necessity for permits for this, that, or the other thing, permits that either are very difficult to obtain or are altogether unobtainable.

But what says Mary Baker Eddy on the subject of government? In the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," she writes (p. 125), "Reflecting God's government, man is self-governed." A study of the word reflection with the aid of the concordances to the textbook and to our Leader's other works draws attention to many inspired statements revealing man's real identity, completeness, and dominion as the expression, or manifestation, of God. How, then, in the light of these passages, can we demonstrate, or prove in individual experience, that "man is self-governed"?

As God's reflection—and therefore the reflection of all that God includes—man has divine authority and power to live in accordance with God's plan for His perfect creation. Consequently, knowing this fact in whatever circumstances he may find himself at any time, man possesses divine authority and power to control the circumstances in such a way as to bring into his experience the divine qualities of holiness, or wholeness, perfection, order, abundance, and freedom; not, be it emphasized, to fit in with any human scheme or plan by thwarting the law, but in accordance with God's plan, God's law.

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