Article November 14, 1925 Issue

Health

GRACE REARDON POOLE

In "Rudimental Divine Science" (p. 11) Mrs. Eddy says, "Health is the consciousness of the unreality of pain and disease; or, rather, the absolute consciousness of harmony and of nothing else." Careful study of this definition reveals the fact that health is a mental, not a material condition. If "health is the consciousness of the unreality of pain and disease," then the seeming opposite of health must be but belief in the reality of pain and disease. So we come to see that, as Mrs. Eddy says in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 219), "A state of health is but a state of consciousness made manifest on the body, and vice versa."

Since disease and discord, the opposite of health or harmony, are not good, they are not real; for as we learn in Genesis, "God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." Now because health and harmony are good, they are of God, and must of necessity be qualities of their divine Principle or creator. Therefore, there can be no variableness in health. It is perfect now. It is in no way dependent upon time, place, seasons, climate, or so-called laws of heredity, but is like its creator, the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. Think of it! And this is our heritage. Every one may claim it, and prove it for himself to-day. Indeed, it is being proved now by thousands of Christian Scientists all over the world.

By learning through Christian Science that "health is the ... absolute consciousness of harmony," we find that the way to preserve health is to preserve or maintain an harmonious consciousness; and so we watch our thoughts for health preservation. In other words, our work daily, hourly, constantly, is to see that our thinking is Godlike—loving, good, having no faith in any power apart from God. Knowing that God is divine Mind, that man is the expression of this Mind and therefore has no separate mind of his own which can fear or believe in anything apart from God and God's creation, enables men to maintain a free, harmonious consciousness, with the result that health is expressed in their daily lives. For if we steadfastly declare and realize God's omnipotence and goodness, can we ever be mesmerized by the suggestion that dampness, drafts, new-mown hay, heat, cold, food, have any power to help or harm us? If we are obedient to our revered Leader's admonitions—yes, demands—that we be alert and faithful in doing our mental work, studying the Bible Lessons, as given in the Christian Science Quarterly reading our periodicals, forgetting self and seeking our good in another's, we are doing much toward preserving a consciousness which is harmonious, or in other words, toward preserving health. We must be ever loyal to the Manual of The Mother Church; we must strive to gain not only the letter but the spirit of all of Mrs. Eddy's writings, and must put them into daily practice, thereby keeping our consciousness so filled with good that no suggestion of fear, greed, mad ambition, self-love, hatred, or sickness can enter. Thus, we shall be free both mentally and physically.

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