The recent Ku Klux Klan activity in the United States, the flight of ethnic Chinese from Vietnam, a new upsurge of conflict in Northern Ireland, and the continuing deadlock between the Palestinians and Israelis in the Middle East—these are instances of mortal wills at odds with each other.

Rejection of one group by another because of ethnic, racial, or religious differences, often involving economic and political elements, is nothing new. It has surfaced time and again in the human story. Only by recognizing that the entire universe is united in the oneness of Mind, God, can we begin to bring the groups that seem at odds into a framework that will lead to healing. Mrs. Eddy writes, "Whatever diverges from the one divine Mind, or God,—or divides Mind into minds, Spirit into spirits, Soul into souls, and Being into beings,—is a misstatement of the unerring divine Principle of Science, which interrupts the meaning of the omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence of Spirit, and is of human instead of divine origin." ^{Retrospection and Introspection, p. 56;}

Mind's action, expressed through the Christ, always uplifts and unifies for purposes of good. Wherever unity of worthwhile purpose is manifested instead of division, it should be supported by our prayers. There is an upcoming conference on Zimbabwe Rhodesia. We can recognize that Mind communicates directly to its idea, man, and that this communication always blesses.

"Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us?" ^{Mal. 2:10;} In reality, there is not a multiplicity of warring, separate minds, all striving for finite recognition, resources, protection. Man relates specifically to the one Mind, God, and does not have a separate mind to act contrary to the divine will. All identities are held forever safe in this Mind. They can never be destroyed, or even menaced, whatever the material picture may be. Knowing this, we cannot be fooled into believing that man's identity includes separation from God, from opportunity, from stability, from peace.

In the United States there has been considerable opening up, during the sixties and seventies, in the area of civil rights. But gains must be held and added to, many people strongly feel. We must continue our diligent prayer to expunge racism from our thought. Then we can expect to see racism eradicated in its worldwide festerings—ranging from interracial conflicts to the growth of political factions that exploit prejudice and terror.

Mrs. Eddy writes: "The weeds of mortal mind are not always destroyed by the first uprooting; they reappear, like devastating witch-grass, to choke the coming clover. O stupid gardener! watch their reappearing, and tear them away from their native soil, until no seedling be left to propagate—and rot." ^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 343 .}

A thread that runs through the history of racial incidents is the rejection of those who are different, who do not conform to expectations—and in turn the hostile reaction of those discriminated against. Compassion for those who fear the stranger, the immigrant, the alien sometimes so different from themselves, is certainly requisite. We can also recognize that Mind expresses itself in infinite variety, which enriches, and never robs.

What will help? Our fuller appreciation of reality, of the fact that Mind and its idea are one, that nowhere in the universe is there a place where some element of Mind can be separated from the wholeness of that Mind. All identity is intact—and unattacked—now and always.