6. 456
One must abide in the morale of truth or he cannot demonstrate the divine Principle.
I had previously taken the word “morale” from context to mean whether someone feels good or bad. If morale was high, then you felt good, low meant bad. Obviously from this sentence, there is more to it.
Checking the online 1828 Webster’s Dictionary I didn’t find the word, but found this on Wikipedia (bold added):
“Morale, also known as esprit de corps, is the capacity of a group’s members to maintain belief in an institution or goal, particularly in the face of opposition or hardship. Morale is often referenced by authority figures as a generic value judgment of the willpower, obedience, and self-discipline of a group tasked with performing duties assigned by a superior. According to Alexander H. Leighton, “morale is the capacity of a group of people to pull together persistently and consistently in pursuit of a common purpose”. Morale is important in the military, because it improves unit cohesion. Without good morale, a force will be more likely to give up or surrender. Morale is usually assessed at a collective, rather than an individual level. In wartime, civilian morale is also important. Esprit de corps is considered to be an important part of a fighting unit.”
When thinking of our church as a “fighting unit” I recalled this from Watches, Prayers, and Arguments, given by Mary Baker Eddy, page 94:
“Try not to see mental work as treatment, but as a watch to keep out the enemy. Jesus said, ‘Watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation.’ We have ‘to work out our own salvation,’ and this is one of the ways to do it. We have got all things. Dominion is our right. It is necessary to realize this, by arguing down the evil which says we have not. The enemy will try to make us do wrong, or make us sick, or try to kill us to the end; so we must stand guard, and the way to do it, is to declare that evil cannot do these things. Mortal mind will try in every conceivable way to prevent this thought from being declared. Why? Because it means death to error.”
Coupling all that with one definition of “abide” from the 1828 Webster’s – to be firm and immovable – I spent some time thinking of that initial quote from Science and Health, and all that it means to me right now:
I must be firm and immovable in the understanding of, and joy and gratitude for, the truth of Christian Science, and ready to face any “opposition or hardship” if I am to demonstrate that God, good, is all. I must know that I am not alone in this work; I seek support as I need it, and offer support as I can give it, and do my part to ensure the success of our mission.
Certainly gives me much to pray and watch for. Thank you!
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All this reminded me of the following from the 88th Church Manual:
Violation of Christian Fellowship. SECT . 3.
Any member who shall unjustly aggrieve or vilify the Pastor Emeritus or another member, or who does not live in Christian fellowship with members who are in good and regular standing with this Church, shall either withdraw from the Church or be excommunicated.