Putting on the Armor

Archibald McLellan

There is a story of a certain legendary warrior who, because no arrow the enemy might launch could wound him, came to be looked upon as under the special protection of the gods and therefore invulnerable. Then one day a subtle enemy discovered the one weak place in the warrior's defense, and forthwith hurled the weapon that compassed his defeat. History, even though it be mythological, has a way of repeating itself, and it behooves the religious warrior of today to look well to his armor, that from helmet to heel-piece he is equipped to meet unafraid the assaults of evil.

Even as the three Hebrew children faced the fiery furnace with undaunted courage, and Daniel the den of lions, David the Philistine giant, with many other heroic standard-bearers, so the Christian Scientist, conscious that he has behind him that same invisible host which spread their sheltering wings over these children of the one God, may declare as did the psalmist, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me," than which there is no higher defense. Clothed with the consciousness of the omnipotence of good, he can bid defiance to that which, though ever boasting itself to be some great thing, our Leader has shown us is "nothing, no thing, mind, nor power" (Science and Health, p. 330).

Mrs. Eddy goes on to enumerate some of the various forms which error assumes in its pretense of reality,—"lust, dishonesty, selfishness, envy, hypocrisy, slander, hate,"—that Christian Scientists may be on guard against these pretenders, recognize their nothingness, and displace them, as St. Paul counsels, with those things which are honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, to the end that "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding," may keep their hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. These would-be destroyers of our peace and prosperity of mind and body, though ofttimes pleasant to the eye and promising much in the way of sense gratification, must be relentlessly unmasked and known for "the works of darkness" which they are, and then the Christian Scientist in his "armor of light" will come off victorious in the encounter.

The Master did not promise exemption from tribulation to his followers, and no more does Mrs. Eddy. Her stirring call to arms, "The warfare with one's self is grand . . . and obedience crowns persistent effort with everlasting victory" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 118), is correlative with the great Teacher's triumphant declaration, "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." He who knew the temptations with which humanity must strive, knew also that exemption from sin was possible through obedience to the Father's will. Foes within and without may assail, but we need not strive alone, any more than he did, if we can say with him, "The Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him."

Just as we have learned that "to obey is better than sacrifice," that the whole duty of man, as the wise man summed it up, is to "fear God, and keep his commandments," so too we must learn that what Paul calls "the whole armor of God" and "the sword of the Spirit" are more potent than "all the power of the enemy." We must be diligent and watchful, however, that no part of our spiritual equipment is omitted or allowed to become rusty through disuse. Let us put to good use that "shield of faith" in the omnipotence of Truth, against which the "fiery darts of the wicked" shall fall harmless. Thus guarded, we shall present to the one evil a consciousness so "void of offense toward God, and toward men," that it will find no crevice through which it may penetrate and nothing on which to fasten itself.

It is a warfare to the finish in which we are engaged, but our Leader shows us the way to victory when she says, "Clad in the panoply of Love, human hatred cannot reach you" (Science and Health, p. 571). Truly we need "fear no evil" under Love's protection, and whether asleep or awake we may claim exemption through obedience to divine law.

Archibald McLellan.

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