Article March 27, 1915 Issue

Scientific Gratitude

JOHN MONTGOMERY TURNER

"Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always." Studied, analyzed, and understood in the light of Christian Science, these sentences give the clearest understanding of genuine, effective, healing gratitude. Jesus required not the consummation of his desire before he felt and voiced his deep thankfulness for the understanding, the scientific knowing, that Life is all and death is nothing. The false testimony of the material senses that Lazarus was dead meant nothing to the master Metaphysician. He understood and knew that Lazarus' true selfhood was living, even though his sister had lamentingly declared that he had "been dead four days."

The beloved disciple's record of this, second to but one of Jesus' metaphysical achievements, evidences the Wayshower's careful study of how he might best present to the human consciousness convincing evidence that death is but a delusion. Calmly, with infinite patience and confidence, he remained two days where he was, after the news of Lazarus' sickness reached him. When Jesus arrived at Bethany, Lazarus had "lain in the grave four days already." But what mattered four days in the sepulcher, or even four years? Would they render his friend any less the child of God,—the perfect idea of infinite Mind, and therefore indestructible? Jesus could not fear that the interim would render any less effective the healing consciousness which was with him always. It was necessary for him only to speak the word, to rouse mortal mind, as manifested both in patient and spectators, to a sense of the ever-presence of Life; and the more firmly imbued was this consciousness with the belief that the death of Lazarus was a fixed fact, the more impressive would be the demonstration. There was no doubt that in obedience to his command the dead would arise. Jesus was thankful in advance; his thankfulness was scientific. Accordingly, Lazarus "came forth."

No mental process is more helpful, more wholesome, or more conducive to spiritual growth than is honest, unsparing self-examination to determine whether or not we are truly grateful,—the asking of ourselves, Do I recognize as real benefits the things that I possess and the conditions under which I live? The earnest, self-eliminating prosecution of such a search involves a most thorough metaphysical analysis of our every-day thoughts and acts; and when the most is made of the resultant discoveries, we find much is being done toward separating the dross of mortal belief from the gold of spiritual understanding. Mortal mind is prone to forget the benefits which this understanding confers. Who has not prayed over a problem, seen the solution, and then taken the answering good as a matter of course, instead of feeling genuinely grateful to God, the giver of all good? A few moments now and then spent in recounting and recapitulating our blessings will go far toward dissipating the mist of ingratitude which, more than any other attribute of the carnal mind, beclouds spiritual vision and shuts the healing power of Truth out of our consciousness.

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