Article April 29, 1916 Issue

"To thought only"

CHARLES T. ROOT

Interesting instances are related of the seemingly accidental discovery of gold or other valuable minerals in ground over which the feet of men, even those of searchers for such deposits, had often passed unheeding. Always present and always available, the scarcely concealed treasure only waited for the seeing eye; and at last some trivial happening, the casual displacement of a pebble or a clod, revealed to the delighted vision a new source of as yet unmeasured riches.

The writer was reminded of such an occurrence by an experience of his own. He had read page 182 of Science and Health often enough to warrant the feeling that at least it could hold no surprises for him. One day, however, on opening the book at that place, his eye fell upon a sentence which he could hardly believe had been there before and which now stood out as though it were alone upon the page. Because God is infinite, it follows that His children do not necessarily have identical experiences. Perhaps no one else ever received a similar impression from this sentence; but when it now for the first time reached the consciousness of the writer it was as though the apocalyptic trumpet proclaimed, "The demands of God appeal to thought only."

Why should there have been such an effect produced upon even a beginner in Science? The words are simplicity itself, and their general import is reiterated many times in the Bible and in Mrs. Eddy's writings. It is the word "only" which gives this statement its tremendous significance and makes of it one of the most revolutionary propositions to be found in our text-book. Consider the far-reaching effect upon the average human being of the realization that Principle takes no direct cognizance of words or deeds, but is concerned solely with the inmost thoughts of the heart. What a sweeping away of old landmarks this involves ! What a collapse of self-righteousness, with its carefully prepared policies of speech and action ! What a bankruptcy of calculated piety and philanthropy ! How futile and pitiful appear hypocrisy and every pretense intended to be seen of men, in the blazing light of this impersonal truth which paralyzes every effort at self-deception !

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