Article April 20, 1912 Issue

OVERCOMING FEAR

EDWARD EVERETT NORWOOD.

The psalmist said, "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee." The more faith mortals have in materiality, the more fear they have of it, until a better understanding of Truth turns them away from both. A recent experience was useful in giving the writer a needed lesson and reminding him, as it did, of the presence and practical power of the infinite Mind whom we are endeavoring to understand and reflect.

A motor-car had been purchased, and after a few lessons he became fairly skilful in operating it, but every time the machine was taken out the conscious and unconscious argument of fear would appear in various forms,—fear that the car would run away, run over some one or into something,—and in addition it seemed to be very large and cumbrous. This went on for several days, with more or less denial and insufficient realization of the truth, until at last there came an awakening. He reasoned that this car was a manifestation of material belief, that it was a good belief, because its parts were well ordered, acting harmoniously according to law, and responding to intelligent operation by the one in charge. It was a useful belief, since it helped to overcome the limitation of other beliefs, such as time and space, thus assisting in a degree in the work of truth; but it was only a manifestation of belief. Now man, the true selfhood, stands as spiritual identity in Mind, as idea, God's image and likeness, and he has dominion over every belief in the so-called material universe; hence fear and mesmerism have neither place nor power. The instant this was clearly realized, the whole sense of difficulty vanished, and since then confidence in man's ability has reigned.

On page 189 of "Miscellaneous Writings" Mrs. Eddy says: "For man to know Life as it is, namely, God, the eternal good, gives him not merely a sense of existence, but an accompanying consciousness of spiritual power that subordinates matter and destroys sin, disease, and death." We must never at any time limit our mental activity, the capacity to think and act rightly. As this is done, the truth of being frees us from the bondage of fear, as unjust as it is untrue. Sinful sense would suggest weakness and discouragement; spiritual sense knows no cause for either, since the power, energy, and confidence with which divine Mind invests us are unlimited and ever operative. The prolonged activity of right thinking and acting on a basis of infinite Mind and His irresistible law,—holding to the truth in the face of sense testimony, rejoicing in the little that we do know, wisely using it, and thanking God for it all,—these are the steps which lead to the Father's house, the spiritual consciousness not constructed by human reason or material theories, eternally harmonious.

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