Article April 10, 1926 Issue

Understanding versus Ignorance

ADA BALLENGER

A young humming bird flew into the sun room. Seized by fear, he began beating against a closed window, although there were eight large windows wide open, through any one of which he could have flown out as easily as he had come in. Turning his beautiful little back upon freedom, he clung close to his prison wall. Really the little bird was free, but, too fearful to realize the truth about his environment, he remained a prisoner. When friendly hands captured him, his fear became so great that he lay like a wilted flower in the hand which designed only his freedom. Fear compelled him to pass through this trying experience. Held far out of the window, the hand was opened, and he flew away, still unaware that ignorance and fear—not matter—had been his prison.

Are not mortals often like the little bird, the prisoners of their own ignorance and fear? Do not they often think they are imprisoned by a sick or sinful or limited body, or by an unwholesome or uncongenial environment, when God, good, is in reality the only presence? It would seem that it would be an excellent plan to overcome ignorance on this important point while one is well and happy, thus precluding the temptation to be sick or unhappy. Some have said that Christian Science is a good thing but they do not yet need it. Perhaps on closer reasoning they might see that the time to study is now, when one is not tempted to believe he is too discordant to think clearly.

Mrs. Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 416), "The sick know nothing of the mental process by which they are depleted, and next to nothing of the metaphysical method by which they can be healed." If they do not learn something of these processes, they may forget their healings, and ingratitude may place them in a position which induces them to believe they must solve their problem over again.

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