Article November 18, 1911 Issue

TRUTH CONSTRUCTIVE

GRACE SQUIRES

The disastrous results of working in the negative may confront even the best of Scientists at times, and to the young student in particular this confusing experience is only too common. In his battle with evil, unless he keep sharp watch, his denials of error are apt to outweigh his affirmations of Truth. If one were to keep his vision fearfully focused on the confusing error, it will seem to roll mountains high in his experience and even threaten to obliterate his sense of the actual.

The defeat and suffering that to many mortals have made quite the larger part of their personal experience before coming to Christian Science, has pushed the concept of a loving Father to the vanishing point, and it is right here that the work of the Scientist lies—to bring that which seemed distant, intelligently close to his vision, in order to push the belief in evil, which was painfully close, away. He needs to think of God, divine Love, of His harmony and His peace and joy. On page 260 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy expresses the thought that if our model is Judas, we cannot delineate the face of the Christ. If one's mind is focused on any painful condition, he cannot outline harmony, try as long and desperately as he may. To say, however vehemently, "Two times two does not equal five" gives no assurance that we know what it does equal. We may be thinking it equals six, for aught to the contrary. On the other hand, to declare the truth of being with clear intelligence amounts to much. When something confronts us that is not divine Love, that something seems all too real. What seems not at all real to us in such a moment is God's nearness and allness, and this gives significance to our Leader's declaration: "Clad in the panoply of Love, human hatred cannot reach you" (Science and Health, p. 571).

The writer once noticed that it was impossible to tell whether her train or the one beside her was moving, and she remained in doubt so long as she looked into the confusing phenomena. When, however, she turned her gaze to an object which she knew could not move, she was instantly informed as to the truth. So should we turn away from the confusing phenomena of mortal life and focus our thoughts on that which is "the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever," the unchanging love of God.

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