Article May 29, 1915 Issue

Guarding Our Thought

MARY LOUISE FERGUSON

The most essential thing for the true Christian Scientist is to guard his consciousness, carefully and steadfastly, so that no unkind, erroneous thought may find entrance. This means unceasing watchfulness, else, like the foolish virgins in Jesus' parable, one may be found sleeping when "the bridegroom cometh." In one of her beautiful addresses Mrs. Eddy says of this attitude, "Your means of protection and defense from sin are, constant watchfulness and prayer that you enter not into temptation and are delivered from every claim of evil" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 115).

The necessity of this was once shown to the writer in a way which she can never forget. One afternoon, while bathing in Lake Erie, she got beyond her depth, and in spite of all her efforts was carried farther and farther away from shore. Her strength began to fail, and she went under several times. None of the friends who were with her could reach her, and although she tried to realize the truth, her thought was becoming so dulled that she could not do so. Finally, when her strength was almost gone, and she felt that she could keep up no longer, like a great flash of light the error which was holding her was revealed. She remembered that less than an hour before she had become very angry with a friend, and she had been cherishing resentment until it entirely governed her. Thanking God that she had been shown the error, she closed her eyes and began to declare against the anger and resentment which were overwhelming her. A feeling of peace and confidence came over her, and it is a notable fact that from the moment the error was uncovered she did not sink again. Some minutes later, when she opened her eyes, she saw her brother beside her, and he helped her to shore. All sense of fatigue and lethargy was overcome in a very short time, and that evening she took a walk of several miles.

"Watch, work, and pray" should be the watchword of Christian Scientists, and if we faithfully strive to obey Jesus' instructions on this subject, we shall rise above the downward tendencies of belief in material law. We shall also make practical the truth taught by our Leader when she tells us that "there is divine authority for believing in the superiority of spiritual power over material resistance" (Science and Health, p. 134), and that every wrong thought overcome, every selfish or uncharitable impulse allayed, will bring us nearer the universe of Spirit.

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