Article December 15, 1956 Issue

SINGLENESS OF PURPOSE

W. BURTON WEBSTER

Wise indeed is he who has come to have singleness of purpose, a purpose God-directed and God-sustained. Mary Baker Eddy indicates a high and holy purpose when she declares in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 45), "The Christian Scientist has enlisted to lessen evil, disease, and death; and he will overcome them by understanding their nothingness and the allness of God, or good." It follows that in carrying out a spiritual purpose, one can suffer no harm, either physically or morally.

Christ Jesus expressed the idea of singleness of purpose in these words (Matt. 6:22, 24): "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. ... No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other." It is good sense when we undertake a task, to do it with the whole heart. It is particularly necessary, since we have "enlisted to lessen evil, disease, and death," to have no other prompting, no other expectation of reward, no other allegiance than that derived from or due to divine Mind, God.

The familiar story of Nehemiah's resolute accomplishment in rebuilding the wall at Jerusalem remains in history and literature one of the outstanding examples of singleness of purpose, endurance, and courage. Beset by the wiles of the devil in the form of treachery, false report, temptation to sin, and malicious gossip, Nehemiah continued steadfast in his determination to complete his great work. It was finished, and Nehemiah experienced no harm. This was a metaphysical victory because it proved the might of a right idea pitted against threats of evil, pride of power, and tyranny.

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