Article September 3, 1955 Issue

THE HAPPIFYING OF EXISTENCE

DORIS F. SCHREIBER

The pursuit of happiness is one of the inalienable rights which the founders of the United States recognized as important to the American way of life. Mary Baker Eddy discerned it to be the basic aim of society, for she writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (pp. 57, 58), "To happify existence by constant intercourse with those adapted to elevate it, should be the motive of society."

"The motive of society"—not to compete for material place and power, not to vie for personal gain and glory, but "to happify existence"! How blessed can be the community and the nation if society faithfully cultivates this high ideal. Then unity, peace, and progress, basic constituents of happiness, can be brought into full expression. Dissension, greed, crime, and war cannot enter society if the thoughts of mankind are aimed at happifying existence from the standpoint Mrs. Eddy indicates.

The measurement of an individual's social standing in terms of the joy he gives roots out the evils which worldly social ambitions have fostered. However, such joy-giving is not the sharing of mere personal pleasure or material benefits; it is spiritually elevating and enriching.

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