Article July 23, 1921 Issue

"Being influenced erroneously"

ALICE E. BARRINGER

In the Preface to "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. vii) Mrs. Eddy says, "The time for thinkers has come." It always has been "the time" but it was not until our beloved Leader, Mrs. Eddy, recognized the fact, that we saw how it is our own duty to practice right thinking ourselves. She says in the Manual (Art. VIII, Sect. 1), "A Rule for Motives and Acts," "The members of this Church should daily watch and pray to be delivered from all evil, from prophesying, judging, condemning, counseling, influencing or being influenced erroneously." Does not this point to the fact that we have to do our own work in thinking, and that thinking must be the dedicating of all our thoughts and actions to God, Principle, Life, Love, and Truth, who thereby purifies them and makes them an offering to Himself? The time has most surely come to us to judge righteous judgment, and those who are studying Christian Science are finding that by exercising one's own power of right thought or judgment, and not merely relying on the thinking and guiding of others, one can protect one's self against being led astray and influenced erroneously.

When the mandate from King Darius was sent out to his people that no petition or prayer was to be made to any but the king, Daniel did not consult with any of his Hebrew brethren as to his intended mode of procedure. He knew that God alone was his guide, Principle, and lawgiver, and that there was no one to consult on any present or future action. Fearlessly he prayed, as was his custom, kneeling at his window, not considering the expediency and not counting the cost. He only knew his thoughts, actions, and their results were dedicated to God, and that what was wrong about them divine Love would bring to light, correct, and purge away. Mrs. Eddy tells us in "Retrospection and Introspection" (p. 84): "The opinions of men cannot be substituted for God's revelation. In times past, arrogant pride, in attempting to steady the ark of Truth, obscured even the power and glory of the Scriptures,—to which Science and Health is the Key." Our Father-Mother God, the source of all love and wisdom, will not fail to guide us when we are willing to be led, and willing to eliminate every vestige of self, knowing that "of him, and through him, and to him, are all things," and that all must be done to the glory of God alone. "God made all His creatures free." (Hymnal, No. 144), and when we have learned the truth there is nothing that can prevent us from declaring and proving it.

If a mathematician entered a room full of people all declaring and believing that two and two are five, that error would never influence him; so whatever we may seem to suffer through disagreement with error, we should be certain that through love, patience, and demonstration we can always prove the truth, and we need none but Principle to aid us. We read in the first chapter of James, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."

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