"Fear not"

In times of stress such as individuals and nations are today experiencing it is comforting and reassuring to consider attentively some instances recorded in the Bible when God's angels spoke to men who were struggling with doubts, fear, and grief, no less great than seem to torment men today, in these strengthening words: "Fear not."

"Angels" are defined in part by Mrs. Eddy in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 581) as "God's thoughts passing to man; spiritual intuitions, pure and perfect." And the Psalmist assures us that "the counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations." How could it be otherwise, since God is unchanging Love? Today, as always, he who listens prayerfully hears this angel-message, "Be not afraid."

In reality there is nothing to fear. That may seem a broad statement, but no other conclusion can be reached if we accept the premise of the first chapter of Genesis, wherein it is stated that "God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." Thought it may seem difficult for some to understand the teaching of Christian Science that evil has its supposititious existence only in false human belief, it may not seem so difficult to admit that if no one had ever believed in evil it would have had no existence even as a supposition. To seek to know when the belief in evil first appeared or where it found a receptive first hearer will not help in solving the problem of how to rule it out of our thought and experience. On the other hand, one day lived in the active rejecting of every evil suggestion from our mental home will prove, in a measure at least, that evil has that day had less reality for us. Thereby we can see that as we are faithful and continuous in our rejection of evil, it will diminish and good will become more appreciable to us as the only reality. Salvation must be individual. When evil suggestions find not one listening ear or responsive heart, evil will indeed be proved nonexistent.

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Ask Not Amiss
October 14, 1933
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