"All ye are brethren"

ELSIE J. PERRY

"God fashions man in His own likeness, conferring on every spiritual idea the same love"

For a number of decades the doctrine of the allness of God and the oneness of His spiritual ideas, as taught by Christian Science, has been leavening the thinking of the world. Because of this leavening, a more neighborly attitude is coming into practice. Governments and nations, having reached a more advanced stage of civilization, are making unremitting efforts to uplift their brother men in order that less fortunate peoples may enjoy more of the privileges which they themselves possess.

Christian Science teaches that the real man knows no elbowing, no confusion, no overlapping, no overcrowding, but each idea moves in perfect harmonious relation with other ideas. Mrs. Eddy writes (Science and Health, p. 209), "Mind, supreme over all its formations and governing them all, is the central sun of its own systems of ideas, the life and light of all its own vast creation; and man is tributary to divine Mind."

Concerted human efforts to knit together the many racial outlooks of mankind must continue. Every human step men take toward resolving misunderstandings amicably is commendable, for this co-operation will guide the thought of mankind to relinquish mental barriers, which are the sole cause of war. But the only mode of maintaining perpetual peace—a peace which is actually in our midst—is in men's recognizing but one Mind, God, who is forever controlling His spiritual universe in concordant motion. When governed only by the divine Mind, humanity will work, not from the premise of many conflicting minds and the contrariety of nationalities, but from the basis of one harmonious family of spiritual ideas.

Peter counsels (I Pet. 3:8), "Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren." When this instruction is universally practiced, and the divine Mind is accepted as the only Mind, righteous deliberations will follow, producing closer accord. Then international commitments will be honored, veracity will supersede unfulfilled compacts, and war will be regarded as an archaic and unchristian method of settling quarrels. What a happy day this will be!

Christ Jesus constantly emphasized the unity and equality of man. On one occasion, after rebuking the craving for superiority, he left with his hearers this beautiful yet cogent reminder (Matt. 23:8): "All ye are brethren." Our Master knew of but one Father and so inevitably regarded all men as brothers and recognized no upper or lower stratum of society. Whatever the human status, the nationality, or the race of men, Jesus always perceived that in Science they were the spotless sons of God and expressed the same spiritual love toward each of them. He saw only the perfect image of God, which cannot diverge from its spiritual origin.

God fashions man in His own likeness, conferring on every spiritual idea the same love and ability, the same blessing. What need, then, for contention with our brother men in order to obtain the necessities of life when, by looking to the true source of our being, we can find unlimited provision? The acknowledgment of one Father is the most potent remedy for averting strife and speedily reveals the relationship of God's sons as brethren.

Mrs. Eddy reiterates this incontrovertible truth of the oneness of God's spiritual offspring, their inseparability from each other and from their Maker, when she affirms (Science and Health, p. 517), "God has countless ideas, and they all have one Principle and parentage." How greatly the world needs to learn this fundamental truth!

As students of Christian Science assert positively the impossibility of any separation between God's ideas and affirm persistently the ever-presence of divine Love, the confusion and unrest of this age will abate and eventually disappear. Then will a higher concept of man emerge, expressing justice, brotherhood, and love, eventually destroying all that seems to disrupt and oppose God's perfect creation.

Our Leader writes in Miscellany (p. 288): "Love for mankind is the elevator of the human race; it demonstrates Truth and reflects divine Love. Good is divinely natural. Evil is unnatural; it has no origin in the nature of God, and He is the Father of all."

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