"The time for thinkers has come." This rousing statement is made by Mrs. Eddy on page vii of the Preface to the textbook, Science and Health. A "thinker," according to a dictionary definition, is "one who manifests powers of sustained and deep thinking."

One may well ask then, What is this mental activity called thinking? One could answer the question academically by listing the many processes involved in this profound behavior. Thinking may involve attending, observing, recalling, organizing, developing, generalizing, comprehending, and pursuing a thought to its logical conclusion. Each one of these steps has many facets. One could read many dissertations on each category as listed above.

One could also answer this question scientifically by putting these human concepts of thinking into a composite arrangement, then translating them into the spiritual realm. According to Christian Science, man's intelligence is the reflection of divine Mind, God, who is infinite intelligence, omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. Scientifically, one could say that true thinking, or spiritual knowing, is a natural function of being, the activity of intelligence, the manifestation of divine Mind.

Thinking is done differently at different times. As one becomes aware of his God-given dominion over his thoughts, he consciously winnows his thinking in order to harvest the spiritual truths and to discard the mortal chaff.

In this era men are tremendously impressed with what computing machines can do. These mechanical devices can take in, record, and analyze information fed to them and give out answers. In amazement one watches them function. On page 336 of Science and Health we read, "Intelligence never passes into non-intelligence, or matter." How true this revelation is! Machines can never think. They cannot distinguish that which is mortal from that which is immortal. They cannot reflect divine intelligence.

Sometimes one experiences the fear that he is limited in his capacity to think, that he has not the ability to think profoundly. If such an erroneous concept is seemingly dominating one's mental activities, it can be completely eradicated by one's knowing, as Christian Science declares, that there is only one Mind; that all intelligence comes from God; that one can avail himself of this intelligence by learning more and more of the true nature of God and of man's relationship to Him.

In the first chapter of II Timothy we are assured, "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." A sound mind is capable of deep, concise, exact thinking. The gift of a sound mind implies a responsibility and obligation for us individually to think constructively and to think maturely. If we are receptive to these stirring demands, we shall awaken and become the kind of thinkers that our Leader undoubtedly had in mind when she wrote, "The time for thinkers has come."

Jesus sometimes challenged the thinking of his followers with such questions as, "How think ye?" (Matt. 18:12.) He might then proceed with a parable for them to think through to a scientific, spiritual conclusion. He was often distressed by their material evaluations; but he was overjoyed when they interpreted his words spiritually.

Mrs. Eddy writes in "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" (p. 210): "The right thinker abides under the shadow of the Almighty. His thoughts can only reflect peace, good will towards men, health, and holiness." The right thinker's behavior and communication with his fellow men are judicial, beneficial, and charitable.

Not only has the time for thinkers come, but the time has come when there is a great need for profound spiritual thinkers. Too many wrong decisions are reached in human problems through the heat of emotions. Such emotional conclusions are opposed to the welfare of mankind. One needs to practice the skills of scientific thinking. Children should be taught and helped to know that the ability to think rightly is God-given to all, not to a chosen few. Such truths should be stressed in the home, school, and Sunday School.

The writer had occasion to put into practice these thoughts on what it means to be a thinker. At a public school where she was teaching, influenza was prevalent. She daily did her prayerful metaphysical work and was seemingly holding firm in her knowledge of man's true being.

One evening when returning home from a committee meeting, she was dismayed to realize that she was manifesting the symptoms of the mass belief of the disease. She felt so ill that she knew it would be wise to call upon a Christian Science practitioner to help her see the nothingness of this distorted picture of man. When she arrived home, she placed her telephone call, stated her problem, and then added that she would telephone to a substitute to take her place on the following day.

"Why?" asked the practitioner.

"I don't know," the writer replied, and when she hung up the telephone receiver, she was puzzled and disturbed by the question. "Why?" she repeated. Then she compelled herself to think. "'The time for thinkers has come,'" she recalled. "'Has come' means now, not tomorrow, or when I feel better, but now." She had to reflect spiritual truths now. She examined her present acceptance of error; she winnowed her thoughts, until her conclusions became scientific. Satisfied, she went to sleep. In the morning she awakened well, happy, and grateful.

It is stimulating and gratifying to know that each of us, in reality a child of God, can do better than he is now doing: he can think better than he is now thinking. He must be cognizant of the commands of God and of his Leader. A verse in the Christian Science Hymnal expresses well this need of alertness to duty's claims (Hymn No. 6):