Editorial February 22, 1936 Issue

Active Acceptance

Violet Ker Seymer

A mentally passive or neutral attitude is unprogressive: it neither achieves nor overcomes. Intelligent thoughts and feelings throng the door of human consciousness, and so, in belief, do doubts, fears, and other sinful suggestions and impressions. Theoretically, their relative status is recognized, but individual spiritual progress is proportionate to the energy and honesty with which one exercises intelligent mental censorship. Moment by moment, as Christian Scientists, we should exercise our right of discrimination between what is to be mentally accepted or rejected. By keeping spiritual facts consciously before us we bar the door to superstition. Passive agreement with a thought of Truth accomplishes little, but its active utilization empowers us to take the offensive against suffering and discouragement, which are not facts, but suggestions. As we reject and reverse them we find that ever-present courage and harmony appear in their place.

"The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable." A verbal expression of truth is, in a degree, helpful, but this true utterance must be buttressed by spiritual conviction if the burden of oppression and fear is to be lifted. Truth itself is never invaded by the "liar, and the father of it," and error cannot intrude into the consciousness which reflects Truth. Erroneous beliefs are not accepted by one who takes his stand for the authority of divine Principle and the purity of Spirit. Wherever spiritual ideas are perseveringly entertained and utilized as error's antidote, they bring to light freedom, health, and harmony.

There are unnumbered reassuring statements of Truth to be found in the Bible. Not satisfied, however, with agreeing with these statements, we must thenceforward prove their quickening power. Mrs. Eddy writes (Miscellaneous Writings, pp. 196, 197), "The Scriptures require more than a simple admission and feeble acceptance of the truths they present; they require a living faith, that so incorporates their lessons into our lives that these truths become the motive-power of every act." A "living faith" accomplishes much, but "faith, if it hath not works, is dead."

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