What is government? It is not persons or political parties or even campaign speeches. Nor is one's government some human control outside oneself, by which one is ruled involuntarily. In reality, government is an activity of divine Principle, God, and it operates in each individual's consciousness. It is our recognition of and response to what the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, calls "the divine 'powers that be'" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 249). Her entire sentence reads, "Let us rejoice that we are subject to the divine 'powers that be.'"

Our government, then, is as safe as our conscious oneness with God and as sure as our realization that the spiritual and only true universe is peopled with God's ideas, obedient to Principle, controlled by divine intelligence, motivated by divine Love.

Just as the organization of the Church of Christ, Scientist, is the human evidence of the church triumphant, so righteous human government of church or nation gives evidence to mankind that God is supreme, that His law is just, impartially blessing all. The truth revealed in Christian Science provides the one sure way to defend a heritage of religious freedom and just government.

No one who understands God's control of His own creation could fear a threat of evil. We do not fear anything over which we have dominion, and our spiritual enlightenment gives us dominion over every phase of materialism, false government, lust for power, human will, superstition, dishonesty. Such God-derived dominion is of help to us only as we utilize it.

Our prayerful support of right government includes a recognition of the spiritual qualities which characterize each office and a realization that God has His representatives always at hand, meeting every need. Mrs. Eddy assures us (ibid., p. 455): "God selects for the highest service one who has grown into such a fitness for it as renders any abuse of the mission an impossibility. The All-wise does not bestow His highest trusts upon the unworthy."

His witnesses represent Him as Principle, and thus express integrity, trustworthiness, justice. They represent him as Mind, and thus express intelligence, clear, unclouded, unmanipulable wisdom. Because they are divine Love's representatives, they express love for good, not lust for power. They are controlled by the will of God and subservient to no other will.

In supporting spiritually an election in a branch church or in government, we realize that in reality each individual has his place in God's kingdom. Because we know this, we have a readiness to say when called to work in the Father's vineyard, "I will."

Human will does not place anyone in office; neither can it deprive him of office. No ambitious human will—the will of a political party or a branch church group— can ever place us or withhold from us a place to which we are being called. It is the will of God, His outlining, which fills each office with His own representative. The election is sure if one is called of God, and nothing else can make it sure for any candidate.

These two statements by Christ Jesus in the sixth chapter of John are specifically applicable to our spiritual work concerning elections: "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me," and, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him." We know that each office is filled with all that He gives, with the qualities of integrity, trustworthiness, honor, intelligence, and obedience to Principle. And we are also confident of the promise that no man can come into an office, except the unerring wisdom of the Father draw him there.

It is divine Love which appoints and anoints its representatives. God's control is complete and supreme. Political speeches with boasting or denunciation, distortions of fact for political gain, or the repetition of propaganda designed to manipulate men's thinking and control their votes have no slightest influence on divine Mind or on God-governed man.

In the face of reports of dishonest political methods, we can trust the truth that all power is inherent in the divine influence, which Mrs. Eddy tells us is always present in human consciousness (see Science and Health, Pref., p xi). This is the only real influence. It energizes right activity, awakens and enlightens men, and promotes obedience to the divine will. This holy influence is our sure defense against mesmeric suggestion. Man is guided and governed by the all-wise Mind alone.

Our understanding that one is sustained by God in the right activity to which God calls him, gives us a basis for knowing how safe is the one who obeys God's call. One in office who stands for Principle cannot be a target for those who wish to use his office for their own enrichment and expanding power. Such an official cannot be handled by political manipulation, even though efforts may be made to undermine him through false reports, which would misrepresent him and make people distrust his accomplishments.

Let us do more than support the election of God-governed candidates; let us afterward also defend the office, knowing, as Mrs. Eddy assures us, that "God is responsible for the mission of those whom He has anointed" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 347).

When we pray for God's kingdom to come, we know that there is no other kingdom and that His kingdom is established and can never be overthrown. A good government can never give place to a poor one, since the "king" remains the same.

We pray, "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven"; Matt. 6:10). What more perfect treatment for government than to know that God's will is omnipotent, supreme? The word "supreme" permits of no counter-force.

Rising to meet the challenge which requires us to elevate our concept of government can be a consecrated experience; each day can be filled with inspiring new views of the true nature of God's rule.

As human officials come and go, we find comfort in the scriptural assurance (I Cor. 12:5), "There are differences of administrations, but the same Lord." Isaiah tells us, "The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will save us" (33:22). Since this is a firm assurance that judicial, legislative, and executive activities are forever an expression of God's rule, we have every reason to rest in our conviction that the evidence of His just and righteous government will continue without interruption throughout eternity.