Gold or Silver, Which Is It?
The people of the United States seem very much exercised over the question as to which kind of matter will save the Nation, and give plenty to the individual.
Our Master never said that either yellow matter or white matter would save us, but he did say, “It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh [matter] profiteth nothing.”
Mortals will never consider themselves in plenty until they learn the allness of Spirit, and that all of Spirit belongs to each individual.
Knowing the allness of Spirit, and the nothingness of every appearance of matter, we will not be moved by the changes in that appearance, but will consider ourselves always supplied whether we have little or much in material things.
God, Mind is the infinite All, and man reflects Him.
If we allow this spiritual sense of God and man to have place in our thought, the material sense of want will have no weight with us, and we will be at perfect peace regarding the question of supply. We will not count the signs, or material symptoms, nor calculate from them whether or not we are supplied, but remembering the allness of Mind and the nothingness of matter, we will always count ourselves supplied.
Having reached this mental mood of peace in the consciousness of the allness of God, matter and its conditions are silenced in thought, and the field left to God who supplies as soon as this opportunity is offered.
If Mind be our God, we find plenty. If matter be our god, we find want.
I am of the opinion that we might vote and help make laws and their execution as a “suffer it be so now,” and the choice of the lesser evil, but the “better part” must be chosen as the only true and permanent way out of political as well as civil troubles.
Our ability to discern the proper political reform will be in exact proportion to our civil reform.
The beam must be out of our own eye that our perception may be clear. Error in thought clouds our vision.
Silver and gold could never buy health, happiness or supplies, though they might pay for farms, houses, trips to mineral springs, tropical climes, high altitudes, doctors’ medicines, etc.
Even among the poorer classes more money is spent for mistaken means of health and happiness than for actual necessities.
Mortals are poor because they spend so much for useless material indulgences, while spiritual understanding which alone can afford true and permanent satisfaction can be had “without money and without price.”
Many are crying for more who, if only right within themselves, would be conscious of health and comfort with what they already have.
We must learn that all blessings come directly from God, and that He deals out to us every moment just what we merit. Then we will seek to know God better, and merit his favor by making God the real, and evil the unreal in our lives.
God never mistakes in His bestowals, never overpays or underpays, neither in the wrong kind of money. We should therefore be content with our wages, and labor on in our effort to please God, knowing that He will care for us according to our deserving.
Though surrounded with all the luxury that wealth can buy, if the mental condition is not right we cannot enjoy it.
The burden of our environments has no weight if the burden of our own materiality is cast off.
Happiness and satisfaction are born of Principle, and are maintained in the consciousness of the individual by his understanding of the unseen bountifulness of spiritual blessings, which completely overwhelm the material sense of want.
We must be satisfied and happy because it is right, not because we have something in matter to make us so.
We do not always know our real wants, hence we ask amiss, and labor for that which we ought not to have, and failing, are not content with our wages. We refuse to be comforted because our cherished hope has not been realized; when we should rely upon the Omnipotence and Omniscience of God, leave the field to Him, and take what He gives us, calling it a supply whether it be a bushel of apples or a peck of potatoes.
“Too little attention is given to establishing the cause of harmony, and too much attention to doctoring the supposed causes of discord.”
Governmental plans and schemes, based upon material sense, like material medicines are losing their efficacy, and must give place to ideas and plans, based upon divine Principle.
Methods promising relief to the personal or human sense of needs, are likely to be selfish, and while “just the things” to the sense of their originator, they may even rob others of what they already have. Like patent medicines they are sometimes offered as a cure-all, and a boon to mankind in general, but are primarily instituted to fill the pocket of the inventor.
The nation, like the individual, changes from one plan to another, seeking relief, and wonders why it is not found, when in fact relief is not in matter or human ways to be found.
Mortals are governed in their plans by the color or condition of matter instead of the allness of God.
Too little attention is given to establishing the cause of harmony, and too much attention to doctoring the supposed causes of discord.
If mortals understood the fact that the harmony of the individual depends upon his own condition, the degree in which he advances Godward, and relies upon God, their efforts in political affairs would be more unselfish, more with a desire to do the greatest good to the greatest number, and to do unto others as we would have them do unto us.
The same God who prepares the table for us in the wilderness can prepare plenty in the midst of the conditions or surroundings from which human sense would declare nothing can come.
Who or what can hinder the power of Omnipotence? If God is omnipotence there is naught else besides Him.
“If in this life only we have hope, we are of all men most miserable.” If in human affairs only we have hope, we find misery and want instead of plenty.
If our hope is anchored in God, Good, it never wanes, and never fails to bring fruition.
If we are in want that want is because we are not right in thought, not because our neighbor is wrong toward us. God never refuses to pay us because of our neighbor’s wrong. Such a state only affords us an opportunity whereby we can be all the more worthy of our reward, if we deal with that wrong Scientifically, and do not wrong in return.
Without doubt we have each a duty to perform toward our neighbor, especially when the request is given, and true Christianity teaches us to watch for opportunities to do good to others, yet the individual stands or falls because of his own merits or demerits.
It is not our purpose to deal with the political affairs of the country as much as the civil affairs. We feel sure that our first duty is to get the beam out of our own (individual) eyes, then we will have sufficient freedom of thought and keenness of perception to help the mote out of the eyes of the government.
He who rejoices in plenty as a demonstration of the allness of God is ready to teach others the way of salvation from hard times and want. He who does not look beyond matter to recognize the unseen supply of Spirit, but sees only the calamity in governmental affairs, and the cruel and tyrannical treatment he is receiving from others, has not merited his own salvation, and is not ready to declare the way to others.
He who is wise himself can note the foolish and disastrous doings of the unwise.
He who is not capable of ruling prosperously in his own affairs, had better not dictate methods for ruling a nation. “One with God is a majority,” and even the unruly affairs of a nation cannot destroy the harmony and plenty afforded by that oneness.
Daniel was cared for not because of his excellent surroundings materially speaking, but because of his God. The Hebrew boys were not safe because of their favorable surroundings, but because of their God.
As Christian Scientists we understand a better and more successful way of overcoming error, and should use it if we would gain increased success. Those who do not understand Christian Science must do the best they know.
Jesus spoke well of Moses and the prophets, yet He said, “All that have gone before me were thieves and robbers.”
Insufficient ways are robbers, because we believe their promises of relief until experience has taught us that there is nothing in them.
“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.” Psalms 23:5.
“If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.” Isaiah 1:19.
“Will He esteem thy riches? No, not gold nor all the forces of strength.” Job 36:19.
“More to be desired are they [the judgments of God] than gold, yea, than much fine gold.” Psalm 19:10.
“How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding rather than to be chosen than silver!” Prov. 16:16.
“Their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord.” Ezekiel 7:19.
“Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses.” Matt. 10:9.
“Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee.” Acts 3:6.
(Originally published in the October, 1896 Christian Science Journal)
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