Article March 22, 1919 Issue

Right Apprehension

CHARLES EDWARD ARNOLD

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord," we read in Isaiah. "Reason," says Mrs. Eddy, "is the most active human faculty" (Science and Health, p. 327). Is it not perfectly plain that, in attempting to overcome or prevent the discordant human beliefs which go to make up material existence, through the hypothesis that they are the outcome of perfect Principle, we are attempting the impossible? There is absolutely no possibility of disposing of error in this way, and equally as impossible is it to suppose that immutable law could change or be set aside.

Suppose a student who is struggling to work out a problem in mathematics were told that the difficulty was the outcome of the natural operation of the basic law of numbers; that it was an unavoidable and inevitable result of this law, but that nevertheless it was incumbent upon him to go to work and bring about the desired result. Supposing he was told that if he were unable to do this in any other way, he might as a last resort appeal to this fundamental law to change or set aside its operation for the time being; and that if his faith was of sufficient magnitude, his request might possibly be granted. What a hopeless and impossible task this would be. How easy to picture this student giving up to despair, or if the attempt were made to overcome the difficulty, to see him sink deeper and deeper into the mire of uncertainty and vague speculation.

Now imagine a student under similar circumstances being told that while a difficulty does seem to exist, yet it is a phase of error, and is in no wise the result of the operation of the law under which he is working, but appears only because of a misapplication of the law; that by the study of that law and the proper application of it a demonstrable knowledge of its operation can be established. He would be assured that as soon as this takes place he would be able, through intelligent application of this understanding, to overcome and obviate these discordant conditions. What a vision of hope this would open up before the student, and how whole-heartedly he would go to work to gain this correct knowledge. Then when he was finally able to demonstrate it, what a sense of satisfaction he would experience.

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