Purity ELLA W. HOAG, CSD          No divine quality is more to be desired than purity. The very word brings visions of loveliness and of things desirable; but because it presents, even to the human thought, so high a standard, mankind has generally relegated it to the realm of the impossible. And yet Jesus classed it as among the things attainable when he said, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” When he so spake, he presented to us an assurance, a demand and a fulfillment. All the world is seeking for blessedness, and most of the world is wondering why it does not obtain it. It does not stop to consider that there are conditions to be fulfilled before blessing can be apprehended. It is always true that since whatever is good comes from God, nothing that is really desirable can ever be realized until the demands of God are complied with. In “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures” (p. 241) Mrs. Eddy writes: “One’s aim, a point beyond faith, should be to find the footsteps to Truth, the way to health and holiness. We should strive to reach the Horeb height where God is revealed; and the corner-stone of all spiritual building is purity. The baptism of Spirit, washing the body of all the impurities of the flesh, signifies that the pure in heart see God and are approaching spiritual Life and its demonstration.”          Christian Science approaches the problem of purification of thought, word, and deed from the unalterable standpoint of the allness of the one infinite God, good, and the consequent unreality, nothingness of all supposititious claims to an opposite. At the same time it shows conclusively that this truth in its operation in the human consciousness inevitably uncovers sin before it can prove sin’s unreality. While this uncovering of sin as falsity, illusion, offers instant deliverance to the one weary of sin and longing to be delivered from its outrageous bondage, it comes to the satisfied sinner to attack his belief that sin has any pleasure whatsoever. In “Retrospection and Introspection” (p. 63) we find, “We attack the sinners’ belief in the pleasure of sin, alias the reality of sin, which makes him a sinner, in order to destroy this belief and save him from sin.” Then through Christian Science the way is always marked out for deliverance from sin; for to deny its satisfaction is to sap its only claim to a foundation even in a mortal so-called mind. No one will be found long indulging that in which he finds no pleasure.          Now this shows very plainly that all sin is both primarily and secondarily mental. If anyone should be guilty of cherishing a sinful thought, believing there is pleasure and satisfaction in so doing, even though he may not express it physically, he need not imagine he can escape the punishment which every sin metes out to itself. Hidden sin — even though it be only in the secret recesses of one’s own thought — is, if possible, more dangerous than its more open expression. One who has named the name of Christian Science and goes forth cherishing evil in his heart, if he does not quickly awake and repent of the wrong, will without doubt reap the result of the heinousness of such secret sin.          After having once accepted the truth that all is God, divine Mind and its manifestation, then to dwell consciously and intentionally with mental sin is certainly to deny the power and presence of the holy God in a terrible way. To misuse mentality after one has professed allegiance to God, divine Mind, as revealed in Christian Science is a crime that should be so quickly detected and rejected that it should never have a chance even to whisper its lies. Who that has touched the understanding of the power of pure, holy thoughts with their blissful peace and harmony, would sacrifice such blessedness and turn to the revolting, detestable practice of sinful thinking? In “Miscellaneous Writings” (p. 115) our Leader says, “Know this: that you cannot overcome the baneful effects of sin on yourself, if you in any way indulge in sin; for, sooner or later, you will fall the victim of your own as well as of others’ sins.”          It is inconceivable that one who has glimpsed even in a limited degree the wonder of man’s being the image and likeness of divine Mind, could turn from such possibility and make companionship with impure, unholy thinking. It is good, and the love of good, which will finally deliver men from all evil. Good alone can satisfy, good is desirable. As one obeys the Bible injunction to “taste and see that the Lord is good,” the temptation to seek for satisfaction in a deceiving, lying counterfeit will diminish, until it finally will disappear. All mortals must eventually accept in every way the purifying ministrations of Christian Science. We cannot be too thankful that this work is already begun and will go on until there shall be sin no longer. Happy is he who, with a consecrated love for good, presses constantly forward, steadfast in his determination to worship and serve alone the God who is all-good. He “that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”   "Purity" by Ella W. Hoag, CSD Christian Science Sentinel, October 11, 1919

 

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