Article May 22, 1920 Issue

Overcoming Error

LILLIAN E. DAVIS

The beginner in the study of Christian Science, who is desirous of helping himself rather than depending wholly on the ministrations of a practitioner, will be found to devote himself earnestly to the textbook for relief when confronted by any physical problem. Ofttimes such a one will say, however, if asked how he works out his problem: "I do not know how to work. I just read." Very often the practitioner of Christian Science is asked the question: "How does one go about it to give one's self a treatment in Christian Science? I do not know how to work for myself."

Jesus answered this question most simply when he said, "If ye continue in my word ... ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Any discordant condition is bondage, and mankind naturally wishes to be free. Christian Science teaches that discord is not true, and because of its being untrue Jesus said that knowing the truth would bring freedom from discord. It is the right of God's child to see as God sees, and the Scriptures tell us that God is "of purer eyes than to behold evil." It follows, then, that when mortals see (or feel) pain or discord they are not seeing as God sees and therefore not seeing truly. So it becomes necessary for them to turn from the discord and see as God sees,—see truly, or know the truth, to be free. Now, the truth about any discordant condition or situation is that right where the physical senses say there is inharmony, there is the presence and activity of good, of God, since He is all-inclusive. To relieve the situation, then, this truth must be known or realized.

Knowing the truth earnestly enough about any untoward condition, removes the seeming reality of the discord,—just as waking from a dream in sleep establishes for one the waking experience instead of the dream. After one wakens from a sleeping dream he does not allow himself to go back to it to the extent of believing that it is true. The writer heard one say recently on awaking from an unpleasant dream, "My, but I'm glad I don't owe that thousand dollars I dreamed I owed." Likewise, we should not, after knowing the truth about a condition of inharmony, allow ourselves to contemplate the seeming error again, if we would stay awake and solve our problem. Rather should we so fill our thought with reality—as did the one who wakened to find that he was not in debt—that there would be no place in it for reviewing the error we wish to correct. This steadfast rejoicing in the truth is what the Scriptures refer to when they say, "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." Having done all, of course, includes knowing the truth so thoroughly as to cast out all fear. Naturally, knowing thoroughly the truth about the all-power and the all-presence of a God who is Love, will remove fear and establish rejoicing. Then, one must not for an instant look back to the dream. Mrs. Eddy says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 14), "Become conscious for a single moment that Life and intelligence are purely spiritual,—neither in nor of matter,—and the body will then utter no complaints."

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