Article March 17, 1923 Issue

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GERTRUDE L. HATCH

Many views when seen through the lens of Christian Science present a vast divergence from those generally accepted. The student of Christian Science soon gains the viewpoint that unfavorable conditions, manifested as poverty, sin, sickness, or death, are the result of false mentality. A Christian Science practitioner once sent this message to a patient who was beginning the study of Christian Science: "Remember, your environment is more or less the outcome of your mental condition." The student had been considering outward conditions alone as causative, and it was now seen that her mental condition was largely responsible for the situation. With unquestionable certainty the assurance came to her that, as Mrs. Eddy states in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 62), "our false views of life hide eternal harmony, and produce the ills of which we complain." Poverty is generally looked upon as lack of some sort, lack of money, or lack of those things which may be purchased with money. Primarily, it is a false mental condition. True abundance results from the applied spiritual understanding of the relation between God and man, wherein every human need of mankind will be supplied. How can it be otherwise? God is Love; and the Apostle John declared, "Now are we the sons of God."

The manifestation of supply for each human need may seem far away to one who believes himself in poverty. But let such a one consider man's true relation to his creator,—that he is a child of God, the immediate object of God's love and care; that God is the governor of all; and such conclusions will unfold the human footsteps necessary to be taken to bring about that understanding whereby may be known and experienced the abundant goodness which God is constantly bestowing on man. To acknowledge, thus, man's sonship with God begins at once to relieve men of the falsities of fear, worry, doubt, or whatever the false view may be. Thus relieved, a larger outlook is obtained. There is greater assurance that the creator does govern and guide, more willingness to let go of human will and planning, and to let God's plan unfold, knowing that He knows and performs that which is right. The surety of the creator's power may even be symbolized in the material counterfeit of His handiwork. Can we open a bud before its time to blossom? How simply it opens! Of what use would it be for us to attempt to fashion a sunset? Yet how beautiful it can be! Even so, God cares for man.

In the self-evident truth that God is supplying every need of man, why does not mankind experience the supply? This question is like that other, Why does the beginner in music sometimes have a mistaken view of his music, or his instrument, and strike a discordant note? The same answer applies to each question: Because the performer does not sufficiently understand the music, or the instrument, or there is a lack of correct application of what he knows. Just as in music discord is caused by either lack of understanding or incorrect application, so with mankind, discord is caused by lack of understanding of God and man, or by the incorrect application of the rule of divine Principle governing their relation.

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