There is probably nothing so vital to the peace of the world as the exercising of that rare virtue, forgiveness. Its demands reach to the very heart of mankind. The faithful demonstration of Christian forbearance and forgiveness is essential to avert the perils of greater cataclysms which threaten.

How strange it is that men strive for peace while having enmity in their hearts toward others! Like charity, peace must begin in one's own consciousness before it can find a response in those who are at strife. When it seems difficult to forgive, is it not because we do not remember that our true selfhood and that of our brother are at one with God? The sensibilities are strained and outraged because of the mortal belief of life in matter, and the sense of strain and outrage can be brought under control only through the holy influence of the impartial love of God for all His children. The poet Pope said, "To err is human; to forgive, divine." The forever unity of God, Spirit, and His likeness, spiritual man, ensures forgiveness in all circumstances where His aid is sought and His commandments are obeyed.

The world may regard a forgiving spirit as a sign of weakness, but one can never forgive a great wrong without earnest prayer and implicit reliance upon divine wisdom and Love. He who has overcome the sense of self when pride, injustice, and resentment would demand retaliation for a wrong committed against him can testify to great growth in strength of character. Obedience to God requires full surrender of human will. And the understanding of God and His perfect law of justice and mercy inevitably reveals that a wrong is not real, because it is not right. When this is realized, forgiveness will naturally follow.

All Christians pray (Matt. 6:12), "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors," and our Master makes it plain that we are to forgive one another not seven times, but "until seventy times seven." Jesus' whole life was one of forgiveness and service. He healed all who came to him, regardless of race, class, or position. Despite the persistent efforts of his enemies to involve him in controversy and incite him to retaliate in anger to their false accusations, he was able to preserve his integrity and good will toward them. Thus evil was disarmed and its efforts were rendered fruitless.

The essence and character of the teachings of Christian Science are illustrated in a beautiful passage written by Mary Baker Eddy in her Message to The Mother Church for 1902. In it she writes (p. 19): "The Christian Scientist cherishes no resentment; he knows that that would harm him more than all the malice of his foes. Brethren, even as Jesus forgave, forgive thou. I say it with joy,—no person can commit an offense against me that I cannot forgive."

Personal affronts, accusations, and bodily assaults, which result in estrangements, bitterness, and lawsuits, can never really be settled without the desire for reconciliation on the part of one or the other. "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth" (Matt. 5:38) is the world's way, because it does not know any better. It is not the way of true Christianity. If one's pride is salved by repayment in kind, he has not gained but lost, since his mortal ego has been heightened instead of humbled. Moral courage and love based upon spiritual understanding are needed to withstand and master any assault.

When we look deep enough into consciousness with the penetrating rays of Truth, we shall discover that certain errors, such as personal ambition, false traits of disposition, unhappy tendencies, national or racial characteristics, which still claim to influence adversely our spiritual progress, have not been divinely forgiven. In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy gives as part of the third tenet of Christian Science this statement (p. 497): "We acknowledge God's forgiveness of sin in the destruction of sin and the spiritual understanding that casts out evil as unreal."

The eternal fact of God's all-presence forbids the existence of evil or error, and thereby destroys it root and branch. The realization of this truth is true forgiveness. Whenever the truth regarding any troublesome condition is realized, the difficulty is unveiled as error and its self-destruction naturally follows. How far one single act of forgiveness reaches, no one can tell. It is enough to know that the Father of all takes care of it.

How many heartaches due to misunderstandings in families and between friends might be reconciled if enough true humility and unselfed love were brought into consciousness and the guidance of divine Love sought! Some form of self is at the bottom of all the troubles of the human family. If love of self is predominant, error will furnish occasions for inflating it. When through self-will or stubborn tenaciousness one becomes involved in controversy and loses his temper, does he not often try to excuse it by self-justification? Error may argue that the other one is at fault and should ask forgiveness first. So the priceless opportunity for the expression of brotherly love is temporarily lost and the ultimate reconciliation postponed.

A church organization was enjoying a degree of prosperity when there arose a dissension between two groups of members. One group appeared to be dominated by an individual who exhibited a strong and influential personality. The strife was occasioned by the attempt of this person to have the soloist removed and by other practices which were in violation of the church by-laws. The one attacked and others proceeded in what they considered was obedience to a specific by-law which required certain action. This step provoked a greater rift between the groups and much personal strife. At a critical point those who thought they were carrying out the provisions of the by-law realized that there was need of more wisdom if the situation was to be healed. They therefore sought the counsel of a consecrated and experienced Christian Scientist, who, upon hearing the ease stated, said: "God has many ways of working these things out; do not think your way is the only one. Love more."

Humbly and gratefully accepting this correction, they began to express more brotherly love toward their fellow members. Soon the whole situation was changed, and before long it was entirely healed. The soloist remained and was subsequently elected Reader. Later this one was privileged to read during a vacation period with the individual who had attempted his removal. From that time on the church made greater progress than before, and it has continued to flourish as a united group of earnest Christian Science workers.

Looking out over the world where humanity is struggling to be free, we can see how great is the need to understand our Master's healing and redeeming ministry. His Christly mission is expressed in these compassionate words (John 3:17): "God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." Multitudes in many lands are impoverished mentally, physically, and spiritually as a result of the tyranny imposed by false systems of government controlled by ambitious and avaricious dictators claiming to be the people's benefactors. We who have the priceless understanding of the liberating power of Christian Science must not fail to remember them in our prayers and daily spiritual work. The tender, loving Christ, forever near, is able to heal the bitterness in their hearts by revealing man's divine origin and rights. This understanding will restore much more than they appear to have lost. No limit can be ascribed to the power of Christian Science understandingly applied to awaken the oppressed, bewildered, and destitute of the world to their glorious freedom as children of God and demonstrate their inalienable birthright of harmony and dominion. Even a grain of understanding of God's omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience, trusted and exercised in their behalf, is mightier than evil's vaunted claim of power, presence, and influence to hold them in bondage.

Let us remember our Master's selfless, healing ministry, which exemplified his loving commands: "As ye go, preach, saying. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick." "Love ye your enemies.... Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven" (Matt. 10:7, 8; Luke 6:35, 37). These commands demand the highest expression of that unselfed love which binds all together in one great brotherhood.

Christ Jesus had the full measure of the material world's malice, its vituperation and vengeance, heaped upon him, yet he met and mastered it all with sublime understanding and love. At the crucifixion he prayed the Father for the forgiveness of his enemies. This crowning act fulfilled the eternal law of divine Love. Let it not be thought, however, that Jesus was ever passive in his treatment of evil. It was his unqualified love for God and man that enabled him to denounce in such scathing terms the evils which were enslaving the people of his time through despotic ecclesiastical creeds, exploitation, and inhuman acts. In rebuking lust, greed, and oppression Jesus knew that they did not originate in or have any relation to the real spiritual man, and that those who appeared to be controlled by these evil motives would eventually repent and love the truth he taught and lived.

Speaking of the Master's weeping over Jerusalem, our Leader writes in her sermon at the dedication of The Mother Church (Pulpit and Press, p. 7): "O ye tears! Not in vain did ye flow. Those sacred drops were but enshrined for future use, and God has now unsealed their receptacle with His outstretched arm. Those crystal globes made morals for mankind. They will rise with joy, and with power to wash away, in floods of forgiveness, every crime, even when mistakenly committed in the name of religion."

Our tears, too, will not be in vain as our hearts overflow with unselfed love, joy, and gratitude in the Christly understanding that the Father-Mother Love is present everywhere to bring full compensation for every wrong in the unspeakable freedom and peace which come to each repentant and receptive heart.