Fleeing from Error

FRANK W. REED

The one great need of man is to know the truth which, our Master said, would make us free. All men desire to be free and are searching for the fountain of freedom, not knowing that Truth alone makes free. Our experience as students of Christian Science shows that one of the ways in which we may acquire this knowledge is often through incidents occurring in our daily walk and conversation; hence we should be watchful lest we miss the messengers of peace when they appear.

Several years ago the writer was making a short trip into the woods with two companions and a dog. As usual the dog ran on ahead. After proceeding some distance we heard a sharp bark as of distress, and presently the dog came into view fleeing swiftly, with three coyotes in pursuit. When they came within hearing distance, the dog's name was called, and immediately he turned and drove his pursuers over the hill, and soon returned with quite a perceptible air of satisfaction and assurance.

Pondering this incident in the days that followed, and searching for a scientific solution, the question was often asked, Why this sudden reversal of events? Why had the pursued so soon become the pursuer? There was no change in the number, size, or fleetness of the attacking force. From what, then, was the dog really fleeing? Was it not, after all, his own fear, and not, as it would at first seem, the animals themselves? As these questions were considered and meditated upon, a valuable lesson in Truth was clearly learned; namely, that every flight from error, or submission to it, is always caused by fear. How frequently, when we find ourselves unconsciously fleeing from some form of discord, a word from a friend, a quotation from the Bible or the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, coming to our thought, removes all fear of the discord and we rise to the understanding that there is really no power except God, good—and no one would want to run away from God.

In seeing and understanding any situation in its true light, the erroneous concept is always destroyed, and omnipotent Truth reigns supreme; then we marvel that we could ever have been so blind as not to see. Naturally we are led to rejoice that Truth destroys all error. No matter what the seeming, there is only one reality about anything, and, as a logical sequence, that reality must be the truth about it. Consequently an understanding of this fact must be gained before we can begin to overcome any form of evil. Why then should we waste our time and efforts in trying to find some other way than the true way? Mrs. Eddy says (Science and Health, p. 167), "Only through radical reliance on Truth can scientific healing power be realized."

It is recorded in Leviticus that God gave this promise to Moses concerning the overcoming of the enemies of the children of Israel: "Five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight." Scientifically interpreted this can only mean that one in understanding, not one in number, shall put to flight the hosts of error. It is easy to understand that the untruth about health is sickness and disease; the untruth about righteousness is sin; and the untruth about harmony is discord; consequently one glimpse of the scientific reality of health destroys the belief of disease. Likewise, the scientific understanding of Love destroys hate; and so on ad infinitum as to every namable or unnamable discord that now seems to enthrone itself as real to the human consciousness.

When once we allow the suggestions of evil to enter and take possession of our thoughts, we begin to flee from one error after another until our lives are finally controlled by unreality instead of being governed by Truth. As Jeremiah says, "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit." Thus in hours of suffering, if we realize that we have been turning away from God in surrendering ourselves to that which has only seeming power, and begin at once to think rightly, our suffering will soon give place to harmony. The errors from which mortal man would flee are only phantoms to spiritual sense, as stated in a hymn:—

The phantoms of thy fear,
Fleeing before the light.

Our beloved Leader says, "Sin and sorrow, disease and death, are the suppositional absence of Life, God, and flee as phantoms of error before truth and love" (Science and Health, p. 215). If, then, these discords are phantoms and powerless in the light of Truth, nothing but ignorance of divine Truth would cause us to flee before them. We should have no fear nor hesitancy in facing our would-be destroyers, because we can always know that one is a majority when we rely on God.

Probably one of the first glimpses of scientific right thinking comes in the understanding that first of all we need to cast out of our thought, or unknow, all that is unspiritual, hence not good, in order more fully to comprehend the divine Mind. We must be willing to know, and God will manifest Himself to us in the measure that we are prepared to receive Truth. The writer can never forget to be thankful to God that he has been shown the way in Christian Science, as made known to us by Mrs. Eddy's teachings and demonstrations.

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