Editorial January 17, 1925 Issue

Changing Our Standpoint

ELLA W. HOAG

"WHEN understanding changes the standpoints of life and intelligence from a material to a spiritual basis, we shall gain the reality of Life, the control of Soul over sense, and we shall perceive Christianity, or Truth, in its divine Principle." In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 322) Mrs. Eddy thus points out a primal necessity in the demonstration of Christian Science. Its students, therefore, must learn to work from a strictly spiritual standpoint if they are to gain that "control of Soul over sense" which it is God's purpose they shall utilize in proving their unity with their Maker.

Now it is quite generally acknowledged that the comprehension of any subject or object depends largely upon the standpoint from which it is viewed. Always the vision is in accord with the viewpoint. If one looks through green glass, all thus seen will appear to be green. If one is mistakenly educated in a certain direction, whatever is considered from such wrong standpoint will be judged according to the false education, and false conclusions will inevitably result. If the standpoint has any element of materiality in it, matter will as certainly seem to appear in that which is being contemplated; hence to gain a perfectly correct understanding of anything one must be sure of an equally accurate basis from which to view it.

It is therefore of utmost importance that the truth of life and intelligence as spiritual, not material, be first of all accepted, if the demonstration which Christian Science demands of its every adherent is to be carried on successfully. All Christian Scientists may agree to this theoretically; but they do not always recognize that an unceasing vigilance is needed if a spiritual basis is to be their unalterable standpoint from which every problem is to be solved. Many a prayer, many an honest struggle, many a deep experience often appears to be needed before one learns the lesson of approaching all Christian Science demonstration from the unchangeable standpoint of Spirit and spirituality.

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