Prayer and free speech
Mankind is striving to hear truth spoken and to speak it freely. In various parts of the world we hear, to a greater or lesser degree, the honest expression of freedom and individuality. At the same time, attempts are being made to hush voices deserving to be heard, to suppress progressive thought.
But nothing can vie with Truth itself, which is God. Wherever we are on the globe, we can help promote mankind's God-given right of free expression by reflecting the power of Truth through prayer, by realizing with conviction the absolute supremacy of God, and man's freedom under His government.
One time, at the synagogue in his own community, Christ Jesus referred openly to his Christ-mission to free and heal mankind. Blinded by their limited, material view of Jesus as Joseph's son and infuriated by his rebuke to their national pride, the congregation rushed him out of the town and intended to throw him off the brow of the hill on which the town was built. This was a carnally-minded reaction to get rid of a voice they could not understand; a voice that challenged their traditions as well as pricked their consciences. But Jesus walked through the midst of them, escaping unharmed.n1
n1 See Luke 4:16-30.
"Ye shall know thetruth, and the truth shall make you free,'' 2 Jesus taught. Knowing the absoluteness of divine Truth enabled the Master to demonstrate truth in human terms. The truth that God's government is just protected him from the mob's hatred; the eternal truth of God as Life empowered him to triumph over the crucifixion; the truth that God is eternal Love enabled him to heal the sick and sinning through the power of the Christ.
n2 John 8:32.
In Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures Mary Baker Eddyn3 writes, ''Christ is the true idea voicing good, the divine message from God to men speaking to the human consciousness.'' And further along she says, ''Jesus demonstrated Christ; he proved that Christ is the divine idea of God -- the Holy Ghost, or Comforter, revealing the divine Principle, Love, and lending into all truth." n4
n3 Eddy is the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science.
n4 Science and Health, p. 332.
DAILY BIBLE VERSE Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is leberty. 11 corinthians 3:17
Christ, ''the true idea voicing good,'' is with us today and always. It may seem that mankind does not always hear this divine message distinctly and consistently; it may seem that fear, envy, and worldly forces drown it out. But actually, this is not possible. Nothing can drown out the Christ, as Jesus proved through his healing works.
The Christ speaks to every child, man, and woman everywhere. To hear it we need to listen with our hearts and conform our lives willingly and trustingly to its healing message. This is a form of prayer. We will hear the Christ more and more clearly and feel its effects more and more deeply -- individually and collectively -- as we grow spiritually, as we express to a greater degree the nature of Christ in love and purity and wisdom.
Your recognition of Christliness in yourself and others and your willingness to let the Christ speak to you of the goodness of God -- this state of thought supports the ability of others to perceive that goodness. It enables others to experience protection while their honest efforts to express good seem threatened.
The Christ penetrates walls of stolidity as well as walls of concrete. It emanates from God without interruption and is most readily felt by the honest and trustful heart.
Under God's government, freedom is guaranteed. It is natural, assured, protected. Our acknowledgment of this spiritual truth makes it every hour more demonstrable to the citizens of the world.
