Article July 19, 1924 Issue

The Inherent Ability to Demonstrate

ELLEN W. STURCKEN

When a Christian Scientist is confronted with a problem, be it sickness or some discordant condition affecting his environment, he knows that the law of God, perceived and adhered to, will make adjustment, and result in the elimination of the discordant belief which has been manifesting itself. Together with prayer for revelation, his work is to study the Bible and Mrs. Eddy's writings until the spiritual fact is so clear to him that he is no longer deceived into believing that there can be any power apart from God.

We must silence every suggestion that would tempt us to believe our problem to be greater than our spiritual understanding would warrant the undertaking to overcome. We must start by knowing we reflect sufficient understanding to prove that evil, in whatever form it may seem to appear, is unreal. The Bible tells us, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." Any thought that would deter us from applying our understanding of God's law at once, is but an argument of evil to delay and hinder our recourse to divine aid. Mrs. Eddy strengthens our trust in good with this declaration in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 260): "Science reveals the possibility of achieving all good, and sets mortals at work to discover what God has already done; but distrust of one's ability to gain the goodness desired and to bring out better and higher results, often hampers the trial of one's wings and ensures failure at the outset." Further, on page 394 of the same book she says, "Knowledge that we can accomplish the good we hope for, stimulates the system to act in the direction which Mind points out."

Any suggestion that would make it appear necessary for us to serve error a little longer, to continue to do its bidding in even a slight degree, is the serpent; that which tells us we shall be better able a little later to obey the call of Truth, is the lying serpent; and listening to it will but delay our next advancing step. As we rise above these subtle arguments of the carnal mind they will come less and less, until we freely express the dominion which is man's birthright as the son of God; and the purpose of error to hold us in further bondage will have been defeated.

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