When the flood of 1913 swept over a great part of the state of Ohio, the thought presented itself to some of us who were not in the flooded districts that we had much to be grateful for, and there was the temptation to attribute this exemption from so terrible an experience to our having awakened to the truth of Christian Science. This mental attitude was confronted, however, with the recognition of the fact that many who were just as enlightened in the teachings of Christian Science, and equally faithful in its practice, found themselves right in the midst of all this trouble. Could we say that they had less cause for gratitude than had the Christian Scientists who were living in parts of the state untouched by the onrush of waters? Since God is everywhere, He must have been just as available to the people that were in the flooded district, and who knew how to rely upon His presence, as He was to those that were not there. It is the scientific knowing how to call on God, thus placing ourselves and our circumstances under His spiritual law of safety, that is the real cause for gratitude.

The ability to apply the law, not exemption from the necessity of applying it, furnishes the real ground for rejoicing, since the fundamental consideration of the Christian Scientist is not so much the changing of material conditions, as it is the realization of God's presence in the midst of the seeming discord or calamity. We realized that this truth had been demonstrated when we learned that, notwithstanding the hardships which necessarily accompanied the experience, the Scientists who were in the midst of the Ohio flood actually rose with the tide and floated above sense testimony, in the ark of spiritual understanding; and in every instance their lives were preserved and their property was afterwards restored. Christian Science is here to teach us how to do this, and one of the scientific rules laid down for us is expressed by Joshua in his command to the children of Israel, "Choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell." He must have considered that the gods which their fathers served on the other side of the flood were the laws of spiritual being that could render the people secure from dangers right where they were, right where the gods of the Amorites were claiming to hold sway. Their responsibility was one of choice, choice of a governing Principle, of God.

Have we ever intimately considered the fact that the remote cause of our present experience is in our choice of a god, and that, in its last analysis, the choice rests with us? Either we are being guided by the one God, who is Principle, or else we are being dominated by some one of the infinite variety of so-called gods that hold us in bondage to a false sense of God and man. Upon this fundamental choice rests the responsibility for the very thing we are undergoing right now, whether it be joy or sorrow, sickness or health, sin or the ability to resist its temptation. To release ourselves from the fetters imposed by "the gods of the Amorites" is our individual necessity, and our recognition of the condition to be overcome is two thirds of the battle. The remaining third, the changing of our convictions from the false to the true, is now a present possibility, although it is a task that may not be accomplished in a moment. Here the practice of Christian Science becomes an art, the art of intelligent choosing.

"The effectual fervent prayer" of the right thinker is the prayer of right choice, the prayer that reveals as nothing else can man's oneness with God, and shows us how it is that the recognition of such scientific oneness is blessed of the Father, and cannot return unto us void. Our human experiences have led us to believe that we are separated from the Supreme Ruler by utter difference of kind and quality of being; that He is away off up there, and that we are far away down here; that because He knows all things and is merciful, we may petition Him for blessings; and that there is a possibility of gaining His ear if we ask in the right way and at the right moment, but it seems a far-off attainment. This hope in remote possibility brings no realization of united relationship. To believe that we are at the mercy of an arbitrary God who may or may not answer the prayer we offer, robs existence of all dignity, all individuality, and reduces men theoretically to mere puppets of fate. In spite of such ignorance and misconception, because of the scientific oneness of God and man all prayer is answered—answered because of its law.

Christian Science reveals to us our real possessions and proves that man, one with infinite Being, reflects divine Mind, God. As our understanding rises to appropirate this, we attain through application of scientific rules the consciousness which opens understanding to our real possessions. We know that praying for what is already ours means, indeed, availing ourselves of it.

This law is revealed to us by the truth expressed in these words of our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 361): "As a drop of water is one with the ocean, a ray of light one with the sun, even so God and man, Father and son, are one in being." If we held a drop of the ocean here in our hand, it would still contain all the elements of the great sea from whence it came. The analogy shows us that man, indestructible and eternal, is one with infinite Mind, as perfect in his being as the Mind that includes him, and that only a false concept holds thought in the belief of a counterfeit, separated from the all-inclusive source. With this understanding comes recognition of the ability and courage and industry to carry on the practice of definitely making our choice; of bringing our thought up suddenly, at any and all times, with the spoken declaration, "I choose!"—choose to surrender my human will, my determination to cling to myself as a mortal, a suffering, sinning concept, and to be conscious right now of my real self, my spiritual activity, my simple, natural, harmonious identity as the reflection of divine Mind.

This was the great Way-shower's method. Experience had taught him that it is impossible to dwell in material belief and not partake of the results of its limited concepts. Because of this knowledge he said to his disciples, "In the world ye shall have tribulation," and immediately added the encouragement, "but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

Had Jesus experienced no further difficulties after making this declaration, we might conclude that by overcoming the world he had referred to conquering it objectively so as to escape thereafter its trials and persecutions; but when we recall that he had yet to be betrayed and deserted; to know the agony of Gethsemane; to endure the arrest, the arraignment, the thorns, the blows, the insults, the cross,—does it not show his thought to have been so uplifted by the clearness of his spiritual vision that he was able to forgive, heal, bless, rescue, in spite of everything? In the midst of it all he was recognizing the unreality of the dream and rejoicing in his spiritual dominion. He was ready and willing to go through with it all because of the spiritual triumph he knew he was to attain.

If we are to gain this uplifted consciousness, the dominion that characterized the footsteps of the Master, we too must accept lovingly each opportunity, seize eagerly each necessity for this mental overcoming, sustained by the gracious assurance, "Before they call, I will answer." Before we are aware of the need for our petition, divine Love is there to meet the need.

Jesus gave thanks for the cup that exalted his thought, the experience that revealed to him more clearly his oneness with God. We find him constantly expressing this gratitude, and reminding himself of his relation to Spirit. "I am not alone," he said; and, "He that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone;" "I and my Father are one;" "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always." These are but a few of the expressions recorded to show us the ideal to which he held his thought, that it might spontaneously manifest the Christ-activity. Such declarations understood and demonstrated kept him mentally above the world, and enabled him to heal on the instant all manner of diseases, for all who turned to him for healing.

Jacob arrived at the point of development which necessitated his making a choice between the material and the spiritual. It was an all-night struggle, a night as long as his mental darkness lasted; but he wrestled and prevailed. During this transitional period, a period in the experience of all who are approaching scientific revelation, when the material senses claim to make war against the dawning of the spiritual idea of Life and Love, we are called upon individually to prove that infinite Love has given us both the courage and the strength to wrestle with human illusion, and to prevail. It requires practice, practice in both "the preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue." The mastering of any art depends upon one's intelligent and conscientious practice of it.

There may be times when the serpent whispers, "It does not work!" That is false; it does work! Not a single declaration of truth is ever wasted; and as our confidence grows, we manifest our freedom more and more readily. To use a trite figure, if you strike a great rock with a hammer ninety-nine times without perceptible effect, and finally shatter it with the one hundredth blow, can you say that the ninety and nine blows were unavailing? But for the work accomplished by the ninety-nine, could the one hundredth blow have been so decidedly effective? To be sure we may have to hold to the truth of our being in the face of all manner of material sense testimony, but we shall become masters of belief and circumstance as we persistently realize our spiritual, God-given dominion. Every time we intelligently declare our choice of spiritual harmony, instead of submitting to conditions that mortal thinking is constantly trying to thrust upon our attention, we gain proficiency in the art of reflecting the power of Spirit which overcomes the world, the flesh, and all evil.

Copyright, 1919, by The Christian Science Publishing Society, Falmouth and St. Paul Streets, Boston, Massachusetts. Entered at Boston post office as second-class matter. Acceptance for mailing at a special rate of postage provided for in section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized on July 11, 1918.