Article August 25, 1923 Issue

That Which Is

ALBERT M. CHENEY

Frequently, from those seeking help in Christian Science comes the remark, "I have lost my health," or, "I have lost my former activity and vigor." Again, another is heard to say, "My eyesight is partially lost, and my sense of hearing is impaired." There are many who believe that health, property, happiness,—in fact, anything that they hold as valuable,—may be lost, provided the circumstances or conditions arise which they believe can overwhelm their every effort to suppress them. Mortals in their ignorance oftentimes cry out against God, because they believe He is permitting, if not actually causing, the calamities which they consider responsible for their unhappiness.

In the light of Christian Science, it is seen that the one who believes that good can be lost is laboring under the mistaken belief that good is material, instead of spiritual. But Christian Science clearly teaches that God is good. Jesus, the master Christian and master Metaphysician, who was always able to prove that the needed good was ever present and instantly available, said, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal." This teaching shows that Jesus did not consider that accumulated matter was real substance or desirable treasure; for he admonished all to lay up "treasures in heaven,"—heaven being defined by Mrs. Eddy, in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 587), as "harmony; the reign of Spirit; government by divine Principle; spirituality; bliss; the atmosphere of Soul,"—that is, to "lay up" real, imperishable treasure.

So long as we believe that sight is dependent on a material eye, hearing on a material ear, and health on a material body, we remain in the dungeon of false belief and fear. But when we learn, through the study of Christian Science, that divine Mind is all and matter nothing, and that sight, hearings,—in fact, all the real senses of man,—are spiritual, we are lifted above the fear of loss of anything that is good; for all good is in Mind, God, and is therefore eternal. The Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, writes in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 57), "All that really is, always was and forever is; for it existed in and of the Mind that is God, wherein man is foremost." From this statement we may learn that all good is just where man is, and that both man and good have the same source,—the divine Mind.

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