Article October 16, 1926 Issue

The Accepted Time

DONALD OWEN JAMES MESSENGER

"Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me," cried our Master before the tomb of Lazarus, in the face of an audience skeptical, perhaps, or at any rate full of human sympathy. Jesus did not wait for the outward manifestation of what he knew to be the true condition of life before he gave thanks for the eternally accomplished fact of spiritual reality, which he saw clearly is always existent in spite of seeming material conditions pointing to the presence of sin, disease, and decay.

Herein is a valuable lesson for the many students of Christian Science who are held back by a feeling that they have some certain demonstration to make before they can step out in the face of the world as successful exponents of what they know to be true. Sometimes, perhaps, the erroneous condition may seem to have been overcome, only to return unexpectedly, bringing with it a sense of discouragement and doubt. It is more than probable that this relapse results solely because of a fear of its possibility, a fear rooted in the belief that only when this particular condition is overcome can the student begin his proper work as a Christian Scientist.

Under such circumstances, as in every other case, the correct method of procedure is to consider the nature of God as infinite, omnipresent, and omnipotent Mind—the thought of whom cannot be united with that of time and space, the arbitrary dimensions upon which the structure of mortal thought depends. There is no starting point for the reflection of perfection: it is an eternal fact, which needs only to be realized. If there is a fear of a mortal inability to maintain this reflection in any particular direction, it is because reliance is being placed on mere will power, and consciousness is not being left clear for the manifestation of the all-power of God.

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