One Wednesday evening a Reader in a branch church read for one of his citations from the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, these words (p. 571): "Clad in the panoply of Love, human hatred cannot reach you."

A number of soldiers from a near-by Cadet Training Center for the Army Air Force were present. As the Reader read that reference, a young airman turned towards the girl at his side, his face alight. He plainly said by his expression: "You see? That's what it is—that's why I'm safe." That comforting assurance from our loved textbook was just the message of Truth to give solid conviction to that young man's unfolding faith.

One definition, according to Webster, of the word "panoply" is "anything forming a bright or magnificent covering." The word is from the Greek panoplia, derived from pas, meaning "all," and hopla, meaning "armor." It had particular reference to the bright and shining suits of armor that were used in the days when knighthood was in flower. The covering was a complete armored protection from head to foot.

Today complete protection is available through the understanding of Christian Science. Our Leader writes (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 210), "Good thoughts are an impervious armor; clad therewith you are completely shielded from the attacks of error of every sort." Beautifully correlative to this is the Psalmist's song, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty."

Christian Science adopts the literal meaning of the word "atonement," which is "a setting at one" or at-one-ment, and uses the word to signify man's unity with God. It is interesting to note that the word "atonement" is from the Hebrew word Kaphar, meaning "to cover"; in other words, it conveys the same meaning as the word "panoply," an all-covering or complete protection. Thus, as we realize our oneness with divine Love, we are panoplied, and are able consciously to demonstrate our protection from the workings of evil, of whatever name or nature. What calm and peace these realizations bring us at a time when war's hatreds are claiming the power to hurt and destroy! Our protection is sure, for our God, who is Love, "never faileth" when we abide in "the secret place of the most High."

In working for protection one can find great help by studying the spiritual meaning of "ark," as given in the Glossary to Science and Health. It reads, in part, as follows (p. 581): "Safety; the idea, or reflection, of Truth, proved to be as immortal as its Principle; the understanding of Spirit, destroying belief in matter. God and man coexistent and eternal." Here again is expressed the thought of man's at-one-ment with God. We all are familiar with the story of the ark as built by Noah. His ark was covered with a tarlike substance known as "pitch." And this word "pitch" in the Hebrew is the same as the word for "atonement"—the word Kaphar. The purpose of the pitch was to make the ark water-tight—completely protected from the raging elements without. The consciousness of our at-one-ment with God furnishes complete and perfect protection and constitutes our safety, our security in Love.

With the loveliness of poetic expression, the prophet Isaiah has depicted the mission of those who are to carry the truth of God's ever-presence to universal humanity. He writes: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!" One phase of The Mother Church activities which is fulfilling Isaiah's promise at this time is the work of the Christian Science chaplains and Christian Science Wartime Ministers.

They bring to the men and women in the service of their country the assurance of their sonship with God, and the consequent protection they have as they prove their present at-one-ment with God. And to each one individually can be told the glad tidings that he will abide safely in the ark, the sides of which are pitched "within and without." These are the "good tidings of good," heralded upon the mountains and over the seas, that shall be heard by our own men, and ultimately by all men and all nations.

Phillips Brooks, the saintly preacher who left a deep imprint upon the thought of his day and time, once said, "God has given to every one of us the power to be spiritual, and by our spirituality to lift and enlarge and enlighten the lives we touch." The Christian Science chaplains, our Wartime Ministers, and all of us can today lift and enlarge and enlighten, with the truths of Christian Science, those whom they and we meet.

Copyright, 1943, by The Christian Science Publishing Society, One, Norway Street, Boston 15, Massachusetts. Entered at Boston post office as second-class matter. Acceptance for mailing at a special rate of postage provided for in section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized on July 11, 1918. Published every Saturday.