Editorial November 4, 1916 Issue

"What seest thou?"

Annie M. Knott

In studying the Old Testament Scriptures we find that on many occasions the truth was presented in a symbolic way to the prophets. Thus came the word to Jeremiah, also to Amos, and again to Zechariah, and on each occasion the prophet was asked, "What seest thou?" This question is of special significance to Christian Scientists because it calls for a clear discrimination between the evidence of material sense and the manifestations of reality discerned by spiritual sense. Zechariah saw Truth's idea symbolized by a golden candlestick, and again as a "flying roll" entering the homes of men to destroy error. On page 360 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy says: "Dear reader, which mind-picture or externalized thought shall be real to you,—the material or the spiritual? Both you cannot have."

In thinking upon this we cannot do better than study earnestly the demonstrations of Christ Jesus when he was confronted by the evidence of sin and sickness, of storm and tempest, and even of death itself. When he was approaching the city of Nain with some of his disciples, they met a funeral procession carrying a widow's only son to the place of burial, and if any one of those in the cortege had been asked by the Master, "What seest thou?" he would undoubtedly have answered, "A dead man on his way to the grave." As we read the record, however, in the light of Christian Science, we can see that the Master never for a moment accepted any such evidence, for he stepped up to the bier and addressed the young man as we might address any one whom we knew and who was expressing perfect health. He simply said, "Young man, I say unto thee, Arise;" and when the young man obeyed this command, Jesus restored him to the erstwhile sorrowing mother.

Again, we are told of a storm on the sea of Galilee, when even those who had been accustomed to the perils of the deep from their earliest days cried out in terror, "Save us: we perish." Here again the great Teacher challenged their acceptance of material evidence, and asked, "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?" If this question were asked of many professed Christians today in like circumstances, they would most likely be filled with indignation at its apparent disregard of their human danger; but in this case, too, the question comes down through the ages, "What seest thou?" When Jesus answered it for the troubled disciples, and when they accepted his spiritual interpretation of the condition before them, as he demonstrated man's God given dominion, we are told that there was a great calm. The same would prevail today in every storm of human sense if we always knew enough to listen to the question of divine Truth and steadfastly refuse to accept any other answer than that given to Zechariah, namely, "This is the word of the Lord . . . Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts."

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