"FRET NOT THYSELF."

MARY E. BARBOUR.

As naturally as the flower turns to the light, so do Christian Scientists turn to the Bible, and the spiritual interpretation thereof, as found in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, not only for help and comfort in every trial, but for daily light and strength. Recently a need was met in studying the 37th Psalm. As if to emphasize the importance of this Scriptural injunction, the psalmist repeats several times, "Fret not thyself," and further declares, according to the Revised Version, that "it tendeth only to evil-doing."

How clear this is in the light of Christian Science, for are we not making evil real when we fret over it? We are taught in Christian Science that evil is to us as real as we make it, and no more so. The psalmist does not leave us without refuge, but gives us good counsel. We are told to "trust in the Lord, and do good;" we are to "dwell in the land," and verily we are to be fed. We read further, "Delight thyself also in the Lord," and "Commit thy way unto the Lord;" finally, we read, "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him." When we have reached the point of patient waiting, surely it will be easy to obey the command, "Cease from anger, and forsake wrath."

And what is the reward? What are the promises, all of which are conditioned? The very first promise, "He shall give thee the desires of thine heart," would seem to contain all those that follow. We read that "he shall bring it to pass . . . he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday." Would not all of these bring "the abundance of peace" promised? Yet there are more: "They shall not be ashamed in the evil time; and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied;" also, "The Lord will not leave him . . . nor condemn him when he is judged."

Five times in the same Psalm the promise is given, "They shall inherit the land." And what is this land? Is it not "the land of Christian Science, where fetters fall and the rights of man are fully known and acknowledged" (Science and Health, p. 226)? So when we read, "Fret not thyself because of evil-doers," we may remember the words of our text-book, "Clad in the panoply of Love, human hatred cannot reach you" (Ibid., p. 571). Mrs. Eddy also writes (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 331), "When downtrodden like the grass, did it make them [mortals] humble, loving, obedient, full of good odor, and cause them to wait patiently on God for man's rich heritage,—'dominion over all the earth'?"

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

ADMISSION TO MEMBERSHIP IN THE MOTHER CHURCH

September 10, 1910

Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit