Article December 19, 1959 Issue

NOT PEACE BUT A SWORD

WILLIAM JAMES HAY

Christ Jesus spoke clearly on the subject of dealing with and overcoming evil. So does Christian Science. Jesus said (Matt. 10:34), "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." One may ask, "Is not this a strange saying to come from the one who was the greatest exponent of peace known to men?"

Certainly the Way-shower did not mean that men should constantly war with one another, nation against nation, race against race, and brother against brother. His purpose undoubtedly was to make clear that Christ, the true idea of God, which he abundantly expressed, maintains war against evil and will continue to do so until evil is overcome.

Christ Jesus used and expected his followers to use the sword of Spirit, the Word of God, to strike against the temporal power arising from worship of matter with its false gods: greed, force, brutality, regimentation, and sensuality. He used Truth to overcome apathy as well as indifference to the rights of the individual, and so must we.

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