Article November 23, 1918 Issue

Praising God

JULIA S. KINNEY

The book of psalms repeatedly presents the thought of praising God, and the earnest student hears in these insistent notes more than a call merely to laud the creator,—even a call to appraise or prize God, good, above all else. It is true that the word "praise" includes in its meaning a sense of thankfulness, but it is at once apparent that we are thankful only for that which we prize. "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. ... She is more precious than rubies," affirmed the wise man. In the same strain the psalmist sings, "Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us." Verily, when a right understanding of God is prized and earnestly sought in Christian Science, the seekers are bountifully blessed and the earth does yield her increase.

It is recorded in the second chapter of Genesis that "there went up a mist from the earth," and mortals have thereby been sadly mystified and confused concerning values. "To material sense, the unreal is the real until this sense is corrected by Christian Science," Mrs. Eddy explains on page 298 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," and thus it is that what is valueless is prized or praised by this sense until Science comes giving the ability to discriminate between that which is worthless and that which is truly worthy of praise. It is recognized that usually the untrained eye is not capable of appraising wonderful paintings, and that the untrained ear does not appreciate great symphonies; and that the so-called physical senses must be made subservient to the rules governing art before great works of art can be correctly appraised. It should also be recognized that these senses must be made subservient to spiritual law before God can be intelligently praised.

The whole life of Jesus was spent in the endeavor to show mortals what is deserving of praise. His admonition, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth," had it been heeded, would have prevented many of earth's woes. His words, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing," ring down the centuries with their warning to give power and praise to Spirit, Mind, not to the flesh or matter. The mission of the Christ as portrayed by Isaiah is to give "the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness," and the entire career of Jesus was in complete accord with this prophecy; for he lifted the heavy burdens of disease and discord, imposed by material sense, and gave in their stead health and harmony. His disciples, following in their Master's footsteps, also gave the garment of praise; we are reminded of Peter and John who healed a lame man at the temple gate, so that he "entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God." It is significant that, to-day as then, patient and practitioner enter the temple praising God.

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