DOMINION WITHIN.
by Rev. G. A. Kratzer.
Christian Science teaches that God is infinite Person, infinite
individuality; that he is the unbounded consciousness. ( See Science
and Health, p. 330 ) It is well for us to spend a portion of our
time in trying to rise into some sense of that unbounded
consciousness, that sense of freedom from limitation whereby we may
endeavor to know God in his wholeness; but the endeavor to become
conscious of God in his infinity is usually not the best means of
realizing those present and particular manifestations of him which we
need to realize in order to meet certain problems that confront us.
God is ever-present good; and He is manifested in a specific good as
well is in general good. Often what we need to realize are those
specific manifestations of good which in our limited state of belief
we are more readily able to comprehend. For example, if we seem to be
threatened with a lack of money to meet our needs, or with a lack of
supply of any kind, or with disaster in business, and the thought of
this is troubling us, we should stand still where we are, or retire to
our closet, and "have it out "with the one evil then and there, or
just as soon as possible, by knowing and declaring that the
ever-present law of God, good, the ever-present fact for the children
of God, is plentiful supply.
The truth is, that as plenty is man's birthright, plenty is the
present fact for those who accept the truth; and error, false sense,
cannot make us believe to the contrary. If we realize this fact long
enough and clearly enough, so they become vital to us, we shall have
entered into peace and joy, and error will no longer argue fear to us.
If, even by a single moment's realization of the truth, we have
permanently healed our consciousness, - cast out fear, and brought in
the abiding sense of security and joy, -our outward affairs will take
care of themselves in due season. We do not need, beyond ordinary
prudence and common sense, to trouble ourselves about the external
arrangement or disposition of material things, or to be anxious about
negotiations with our fellow-men. Our one problem is to maintain a
whole consciousness, devoid of fear, resting in God as the abundant
and infallible source of supply; then the outward things will be added
onto us.
Christian Science also teaches us to know that health, strength,
sight, and hearing, or any other special manifestation of God, good,
for which we may seem to be cut off, are present and unchangeable
facts of our true selfhood, and that error cannot make us believe to
the contrary or make us fear the further seeming loss of any of these
manifestations of good. If we heal our own consciousness, so we have
no further sense of fear, but are able to rest with a sense of
security and joy in the fact that the special manifestation of good
which we desire is a present and indestructible fact, that is all we
need to be concerned about. The physical manifestation will duly take
care of itself, and harmony will be realized where before discord was
apparent. It was never more than an appearance; for God, the sole
creator, never made any discord, but rather established harmony as the
eternal law and the eternal fact; and so it is. At the creation "God
said, Let there be light: and there was light;" and the light (the
good) remains to this day, while its opposite, darkness, in reality
does not exist.
We should not be anxious for the morrow or about any outward things,
either supplies for daily need or health of the body; but we should
seek first the kingdom of God, which is "at hand" and "within you,"
and His righteousness (right thinking and feeling, knowledge of the
truth, and love devoid of fear), and all these outward things will be
added unto us. We should be willing to be "absent from the body" in
thought; we should not worry about it nor try to cure it by taking
thought about it. We should not try to control the body by our
thought; we should try only to control our consciousness by meditating
on God and His law. Thus we shall be "present with the Lord," and the
body will soon manifest harmony.
Christian Science Sentinel – February 29, 1908