Law and Government

FLORENCE SARAH WINSHIP

In attempting the solution of problems relating to human rights, people diligently seek to know the law about it; and right human laws are made and enforced to protect and aid, guard and guide, the welfare of the individual, the community, and the nation.

Christian Science is God's law. It reveals divine Principle and its expression, divine ideas. Christian Scientists gain reassurance and comfort in the understanding that they have found basic law, the one infinite, eternal law; that which maintains the perfect state called heaven.

In Science and Health (p. 587) Mary Baker Eddy defines "heaven," in part, as "government by divine Principle." God, the eternal I AM, the Supreme Ruler, ever sustains man, as free, whole; as the expression of Love, the manifestation of Mind, the idea of Soul, ever beautiful, ever beloved. There is no real power to dispute God's government of His universe including man. As we seek and find the kingdom of heaven, we realize that God's law is guarding, guiding, protecting, sustaining our health, our happiness, our safety, our opportunity, our destiny. Divine law is here, but unless we understand and obey it we do not enjoy its benefits. Only when a child understands something of arithmetic can he solve even the simplest problem. We must take our stand for God's law. Only as we understand it can we prove its power, and realize our spiritual dominion.

A young student of Christian Science was once suffering from a dislocated vertebra caused by an accident in a swimming pool. The same thing had happened a few years before, and the bone had been replaced by an osteopath. This time, however, because she was interested in Christian Science, she desired to apply only the spiritual method of healing, and asked a Christian Science practitioner for treatment. For several weeks there seemed to be no improvement, the pain and discomfort continuing about the same. One night, when alone, she lay on her back on the bed and began to think thus: What is Christian Science? How can it help me, really heal me? The practitioner said we were not trying to move a lump of matter. What were we doing? What must I do? The answer came clearly, I must think more about Truth. At that instant there was a sensation as though a hand pushed against her spine; and the bone was back in place. The answer, as she stated it to herself, showed a slight glimpse of something she was to understand better later on. It was the sudden realization that a change had to take place in her thinking. She saw for the first time that she could not take Christian Science as one would a dose of medicine, and go about her affairs expecting it to work with no effort on her part. She must understand it, and accept the true spiritual standpoint, from which to gain dominion over all human affairs by applying God's law.

Human laws based on human opinions are subject to change, but divine Principle never changes; it is without variableness, or "shadow of turning." Christian Science has revealed the law of God, Principle. The law of Truth that has appeared to men can never disappear. The law that represents divine Principle has a divine source and maintains God's creation; it preserves man's individuality and freedom. Mrs. Eddy writes (ibid., p. 258), "God expresses in man the infinite idea forever developing itself, broadening and rising higher and higher from a boundless basis."

Conflicting human opinions cannot change Principle; and those who understand Principle conform to law and maintain their trust in it, in order that it may sustain them. We enforce law on our own behalf by standing for it. We conform to the law of health by standing firmly for the fact that health is God-ordained. We must accept the truth about divine law, and face our problems as solvable through that law. Only from this standpoint can we prove the law operative in our behalf.

As we govern our thinking about our country and national affairs, through the understanding of divine Principle and divine law, we help to support righteous government for our country and for all mankind.

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Practice Makes Perfect

April 3, 1937

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