Article July 28, 1917 Issue

Subtle Errors

CORINNE C. SANDERSON

Recently two experiences have made plain to me the subtle ways of error. For two years an unpleasant physical condition had been a trial to my daughter. I had assured her that it was not at all necessary; that Science, as Mrs. Eddy says, "removes properly whatever is offensive" (Science and Health, p. 463). I had declared the truth for her both audibly and mentally, but the condition seemed to persist. Not long ago, however, she told me that the demonstration had been made, so I was interested to know how it had been brought about. She then told me that at one time she had seen a certain preparation advertised for that ailment, and had wished she had a bottle of it. A short while before, a sample bottle had been given to her, and as she realized that to use it would be contrary to our understanding of Christian Science practice, she had thrown it away. As a result of this rejection of material means the ailment disappeared.

Another experience, or rather two of them on the same line, came with colds. My eldest son awoke one morning with a croupy cough and a sore throat, and expressed a desire to remain at home from school. After the rest had gone we repeated the Lord's Prayer, our usual remedy, and at noon he went to school free from the ailment. Shortly afterward the next son awoke with the same symptoms, and I told him how quickly we had met the other case (we never mention these things in the family until they are over). We applied the same remedy, but the condition did not change. At the end of a week I questioned him as to the reason, and his answer was, "How can I get over it without any cough drops?" Then he added, "Yesterday Johnny gave me a couple and they did not cure it." "Of course not," I said. "Cough drops are just candy, and they don't cure anything." As I did not have time to stay with him just then, I told him to say "Our Father" through by himself. After a while he came to me and asked, "What does 'the glory' mean?" I told him, "It means that when we are healed we give God the glory,—acknowledge that He healed us, and not say that a cough drop did it." He was healed.

As we have relied upon Science for over twelve years, it had not occurred to me that my children were thinking of material remedies, and it was made very plain why so much good Science work seemingly brings no results. It also explained to me why our demonstration over chapped hands had been so slow. A young lady who lived with us for several years was in the habit of using a cold cream for that trouble, and our girls had associated her remedy with that condition, and this belief had not been handled and destroyed. On page 412 of Science and Health our Leader says: "The power of Christian Science and divine Love is omnipotent. It is indeed adequate to unclasp the hold and to destroy disease, sin, and death."

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