The joyous unity of true brotherhood has been tenderly described by Mary Baker Eddy in the first stanza of her poem "Love." She writes (Poems, p. 6),

These lovely lines bring out the qualities of harmony, holy aspiration, and spiritual freedom with which every human relationship can be transformed when brotherhood is demonstrated. Later lines show that such demonstrations are made through prayer for the spirit of loving-kindness exemplified in the life of Christ Jesus. That prayer must be made practical is indicated in the admonition,

Christ Jesus, whose healing ministry substantiated his words, stated in unequivocal terms the necessity for demonstrating brotherhood. His reply to the lawyer who sought to tempt him was a concise exposition of the divine demand. He said (Matt. 22:37-40): "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

God is infinite, All-in-all, omnipotent, abundant in goodness, the source of all harmony. He is the eternal creator, our Father-Mother God, who maintains His creation in beauty, order, and wholeness throughout eternity. In our demonstration of brotherhood we must obey the first requirement—wholehearted love for God, a spiritual understanding of His omniscience and omnipresence.

A second requirement for demonstrating brotherhood is a correct estimate of man as God's spiritual, perfect child. Mrs. Eddy, whose life of loving service was an illustration of brotherliness, writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 517), "God has countless ideas, and they all have one Principle and parentage." The true basis of brotherhood is God's oneness and allness. There is but one Mind, one Father who has created man in His image and likeness.

Individual spiritual man is not a link in a long genealogical chain, dependent on heredity for his individuality. He is a direct, original expression of God, forever inseparable from Him. Each individual spiritual idea receives the Father's measureless loving-kindness, for Love is impartial and inexhaustible. The dignity and worth of each spiritual idea are forever established by Spirit. All are equal in God's universe. As children of one Father, God, all are brothers in Love.

Our daily experience affords many opportunities to improve human relationships through demonstrating these spiritual truths. The mortal concept of brotherhood, based on the belief of a material creation and animated by a personal sense of affection, is uninspired and narrow. It often seems to evolve such unlovely characteristics as selfishness, cruelty, interference, and domination. These mental states are derived from error and are therefore without substance or reality. They must be cast out and replaced with such purifying, regenerating qualities as those enumerated by Paul. He wrote (Gal. 5:22, 23), "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance."

Such purification of thought is truly helpful, for it enables our neighbor to pursue his upward way without the burden of interference or improper influence. Spiritualization of thought is liberating because it leaves intact one's free moral agency. Such a course of action does not condone error, but uncovers and impersonalizes it. The spiritualized consciousness magnifies good, thus harmonizing human relationships. Through true brotherliness we learn to evaluate correctly our own status as cherished children of God and to respect the individuality of our neighbor.

Present-day evidences of widespread discord in domestic relations and in public affairs will be replaced by peace and stability as true brotherhood is increasingly demonstrated. Learning to love our neighbor in Jesus' way involves the search for "holy thoughts and heavenly strain," for ever more spiritual views of God and man made practical in daily living.

The healing effect of such endeavor is illustrated by the following experience of a Christian Science family. The parents were expecting their second child, and friend predicted that its arrival would make their son jealous and unhappy. A Christian Science practitioner pointed out to them the necessity of handling these beliefs in advance.

In working to help their son demonstrate brotherliness, they found it especially important to enlarge his understanding of the fatherhood and motherhood of God. Opportunities to do this unfolded naturally in connection with preparation of Sunday School lessons and discussion of the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes. His parents brought out that Love is inexhaustible and nothing could deprive him of his rightful place or of God's tender care.

After his sister came, the joy of loving and helping her was emphasized. He liked Mrs. Eddy's statement (Science and Health, p. 518), "The rich in spirit help the poor in one grand brotherhood, all having the same Principle, or Father; and blessed is that man who seeth his brother's need and supplieth it, seeking his own in another's good."

The natural result of this clarification of thought was a happy relationship between the two children. The son accepted his status as loving helper, and it has proved to be a true source of support for his own growth. The sister's affection for him continues to enrich her experience. The parents have found much inspiration in the realization that the children reflect the holiness and spirituality of the divine nature and that they are indeed "brother birds."

True brotherliness, expressed in loving-kindness and patience, harmonizes human relationships. In business this brotherliness eliminates personal rivalries and unethical practices. In the schoolroom it helps meet the beliefs of inequality and prejudice. Expressed in the home, brotherliness brings joy, freedom, and increased capacity to all. In church activities it promotes the spiritual welfare and progress of every member. Each demonstration of true brotherhood, no matter how humble, advances the day when all men and nations will agree with Abram's petition (Gen. 13:8), "Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee; ... for we be brethren."