Perhaps it was because what happened took place so close to where I live. Or perhaps it was just the culmination of those tragedies and near tragedies that have centered around public figures in recent times. I do not really know. But it was the attempted assassination of Governor George Wallace, during his campaign for the Presidency of the United States this year, that made me remember those three things I know I shall never again forget.

First, I remembered what I had promised myself long ago. At the time I turned wholeheartedly to Christian Science as a way of life I was happy in my job. Politics was my first love. I worked in a large political headquarters and came in frequent contact with governors and senators, congressmen and mayors, incumbents and hopefuls. I had the opportunity to see deep into the heart of things political, and I did. There I found both strength and weakness, integrity and dishonesty, forthrightness and cunning. But the most vivid impression I had during those years was not the inconsistencies in the character of the elected but rather the consistency in the character of the electorate. It could be summed up quickly in three words: apathy, ingratitude, and more ingratitude.

As a new student of Christian Science, I frequently asked myself what I could do. Get involved? That expression had not yet been born. Besides, I was already involved. Before too long I began to see what I could do: I could pray specifically for my country, the United States; metaphysically, spiritually, support its government and those who served it; contribute toward the healing of its problems. That was what I promised myself, but somehow over the years, I too became ensnared in that net of apathy and ingratitude which had once so deeply troubled me. But now I know I shall never again forget.

Have you ever thought how often those men and women serving governments in positions of trust must struggle and pray to know the way to go? They must often be tempted to wonder, as did Pilate when the Master, Christ Jesus, stood before him: "What is truth?" ^{John 18:38;} Anyone who, in an effort to express divine Principle, has struggled with the belief of being separate from God can compassionately consider the agony that must, at times, come to the elected official who is striving to demonstrate his highest sense of integrity and do what he feels is best for his country, while still retaining enough of his personal popularity to be reelected.

As we view in this light those who serve our country, we will have the degree of compassion, patience, and love we need in order to understand the exhortation in I Timothy that "prayers ... be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life." ^{I Tim. 2:1, 2;}

Although in Christian Science we do not personally treat or pray for any specific individual without his consent, we can always support any office, whether it be church or government, by gaining a more spiritual concept of what the office includes and the spiritual qualities it represents. As we recognize the omnipresence and eternality of certain qualities such as intelligence, wisdom, and good judgment and realize that they are continuously expressed by the spiritual man of God's creating, the only real man, we more easily see the infinite number of opportunities we have to pray for those "in authority."

The second thing I remembered as a result of the Wallace shooting was a comment made on television right after the assassination of Senator Robert Kennedy during his campaign for the Presidency. Someone compared the United States to a rich young man, spoiled, undisciplined, and slightly intoxicated, with a sort of "anything goes" attitude and a high disregard for law and order. It was almost shockingly applicable, but it stirred my thought and helped me greatly at that time in my prayers for my country.

Since the laws of divine Science are changeless and eternal, and its rules are applicable and demonstrable whether we are praying to heal an individual, a nation, or a world, it is of little importance that the error sometimes calls itself the body of an individual in need of healing and at others the body politic. Mrs. Eddy tells us: "Remove the leading error or governing fear of this lower so-called mind, and you remove the cause of all disease as well as the morbid or excited action of any organ." ^{Science and Health, p. 377;}

Using this rule, I then faced squarely what I believed were the leading errors my country seemed to be evidencing, and my fears concerning them. I affirmed that God, divine Mind, is the only Mind, the source of all true government, authority, and power. I recognized that "this lower so-called mind," which the Bible refers to as the carnal mind, Christian Science shows to be a myth. It has no real locality, existence, or entity, because the divine Mind is omnipresent and infinite. I was comforted by realizing that neither the "leading error" nor "governing fear" of a myth could actually be causative.

I then saw that a clearer understanding and acceptance of this truth would aid in the removal of any so-called claim of evil attempting to control the body politic, and would help normalize what appeared as either "morbid or excited action." I prayed for a clearer understanding of true spiritual government as the perfect effect of the one perfect cause, as activated, motivated, and controlled by the one divine will.

And then ... I remembered Joseph.

Joseph, in the Bible, who wore his gift joyously for all to see—his coat of many colors. Young Joseph, beloved of his father, perhaps indulged, maybe even a little spoiled, unknowingly incited envy and jealousy in the hearts of his brothers. Perhaps his youth and inexperience made him unwary and therefore vulnerable. But it seemed to me that my country needed some of the qualities Joseph expressed in his life and career.

The story of Joseph is an outstanding and glorious record of one man's triumph over the most vicious qualities of the carnal mind to which any individual or nation might ever be subjected. Joseph progressively triumphed over his enemies: envy, jealousy, hate, treachery, lust, greed. Christian Science makes clear that the foe, regardless of the face it wears, is always animal magnetism, or the belief in the reality of an evil or mortal mind and its seeming manifestations. Joseph must have so clearly known that he was God-governed that the claims of evil were proved powerless, no matter what form they tried to take.

In the Bible we read, "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall," ^{Gen. 49:22;} and part of Mrs. Eddy's definition of "Joseph" reads, "A higher sense of Truth rebuking mortal belief, or error, and showing the immortality and supremacy of Truth; pure affection blessing its enemies." ^{Science and Health, p. 589;}

In our prayers for our country—whatever country it is—and those in authority we can know that its people are able to manifest the qualities Joseph expressed—intuition, patience, purity, wisdom, obedience to Principle, "pure affection blessing its enemies." These qualities are God-derived, and they manifest themselves more fully as we acknowledge the truth that man reflects God's government perfectly.

Whatever your nation, whatever its government seems to be, when you pray for it, remember it can be "a fruitful bough." No matter how much seems to be in need of healing, that bough can be so abundantly laden with the fruits of your unselfed prayers that it, too, will "run over the wall."

The divine idea of government includes and expresses the riches of God's love abundantly. As a spiritual idea, it is ageless and eternal. It cannot be touched by any phase of animal magnetism claiming to identify it either as inexperienced or unprogressive. Those who understand the true spiritual idea of government cannot be intoxicated by any mesmeric attraction of animal magnetism. They see how they live now and always at the standpoint of perfect satisfaction—filled with divine inspiration. Government, as an idea of Mind, includes all that is necessary for its perfect operation. There are no lawless, ungovernable individuals in divine Mind.

We can, then, in our prayers for our country, remember Joseph. We know so little of how he prayed, but the outward evidence proves for all time how clearly he must have perceived the truth of God's government. If Joseph could do it, so can we, as individuals and as a nation. And what a joy our work will be when we realize we are contributing to the hastening of that blessed day when all mankind shall know and prove together: "Our statute is spiritual, our Government is divine"! ^{p. 442 .}