Editorial December 27, 1941 Issue

Maintaining True Vision

Alfred Pittman

Vision is recognized in Christian Science as an attribute of divine Mind, or God. It is the intelligent perception of what really exists. Its great value in human experience is that as it appears, through growing understanding of reality as revealed in this Science, it dispels the limited and mistaken sense of vision, which is the source of all the afflictions of mankind. In this way it brings healing. Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, points to this fact in a passage, treasured by all Christian Scientists, in which she writes (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, pp. 476, 477): "Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick." She might have added, and does in fact clearly show in many places in her writings, that the effects of such spiritual clear-sightedness are by no means confined to the healing of physical disease, but include the healing of every kind of troublesome condition.

Christian Scientists see, therefore, that nothing is more important for them than maintaining in the fullest possible measure the true perception of being, and they seek daily and hourly to do this. They find themselves increasingly grateful to Mrs. Eddy for what she did to aid them in this work. For example, in their daily study of the LessonSermons in the Christian Science Quarterly, which she provided, they continually find their spiritual perception sharpened and enlarged, and good flowing into their experience as a consequence. They turn away from their study of these Lesson-Sermons refreshed and invigorated. Things not only "look different" to them, as they sometimes say—illustrating the fact that their vision actually has been improved—but they carry with them through succeeding hours, and often permanently, a fuller sense of dominion. Similar effects commonly follow further study of the Bible together with our Leader's writings; and such results also notably follow the earnest endeavor to practice what is taught in these books—the importance of which endeavor Mrs. Eddy, following the example of Christ Jesus, continually stresses.

Christian Science also shows how in the face of any specific need of clearer vision one may attain it through prayer. Indeed, prayer, as understood in Science, is communion with God, and therefore direct refreshment of one's thought as to the facts of being—as to the allness of God, good, and the spirituality and perfection of man and the universe as His expression. Proportionally as one thus clarifies his thought, he sees, and helps others to see, more truly; and the resulting change in the outward appearance of things is often astonishing to mortals. At the tomb of Lazarus, John writes, "Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me." He lifted up his thought to God, to omnipresent Life and Love; and presently, as the record continues, Lazarus "came forth." "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else," we read in Isaiah.

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