Article January 22, 1910 Issue

THE TRUE REFLECTION

ELLEN JEWETT.

Any one who has caught a glimpse of himself in an imperfect mirror, will remember the blurred and disfigured representation therein presented. If he were to contrast such a reflection with the one obtained when looking into a flawless plate-glass mirror, he would hardly believe that two reflections of the one original could be so different.

Let us suppose, further, that some one had all his life been used to the defective mirror,—that he had never seen a perfect one; then he would have become accustomed to the disfigured reflection, and would believe it to be the true image of himself. But suppose that one day he should suddenly be invited to see his reflection in a perfect mirror, which would show his features as they really were: he would probably have difficulty in recognizing himself, and would be greatly astonished to find that his features were symmetrical. Yet the man himself was the same in both cases, and as soon as he learned which was the true reflection, he would know that the other one was all wrong, and he would reject it as unworthy of any further notice. He would doubtless throw away the defective glass, and think of himself only as he was reflected in the perfect mirror.

Now, in the mortal concept of man, have we not all been looking upon the distorted reflection given off by the mirror of material opinions, fears, and prejudices, where the outlines are very imperfect indeed,—the morals twisted and the intellect warped, manifesting on every side sickness, sin, and sorrow? We have been taught that man is the image and likeness of God; but in this mortal reflection what is there to suggest the beauty and symmetry of the immortal idea of God, good? As we, however, come to know and recognize the true self in the mirror of Christian Science, we find it very different from what we had supposed it to be. We find that the reflection of God, when seen in the perfect mirror of divine Science, is truly the image and likeness of Life, Truth, Love, and that it expresses goodness, wisdom, health, and strength. At first it may seem difficult to give up our old concept. We have been so used to seeing ourselves and others reflected in the false mirror of human beliefs that at first we can hardly recognize the true reflection, yet God is "the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever," and so His reflection, man, must be the same also.

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