Editorial March 26, 1927 Issue

Evil Suggestions Not Transferable

Albert F. Gilmore

In discussing the topic "Rudiments and growth," on pages 495 and 496 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mrs. Eddy gives specific directions for making the most rapid progress in Christian Science. Among other necessary steps to this end she states that the students of this Science must learn that error has no power to destroy error; and she adds, "You will also learn that in Science there is no transfer of evil suggestions from one mortal to another, for there is but one Mind," the Mind which governs man and the universe. As students of Christian Science we should give heed to this important fact so clearly stated by our Leader.

All too often we find ourselves believing in many minds, which we apparently endow with the ability to transmit erroneous suggestions, sometimes having a malicious purpose. We know, however, that the only influence which suggestion can exercise over our thoughts or acts is the power which we seem to bestow upon it, that is, through the strength of our belief. If we firmly believe in this form of evil, to that extent we become its victim. The belief that evil suggestion is real and transferable carries the implication that mortals are receptive to its erroneous proposals. This thought also needs to be destroyed. What, then, is the remedy? Positively to know that there is but one Mind, and that God, who creates and harmoniously governs His universe of perfect ideas eternally. As evil is not an entity, it has no claim to reality, hence no power, and accordingly can have no ability to transfer itself as suggestion to another so-called mortal mind, there to work its purpose. Moreover, let us know that there is no mortal mind to originate such belief; likewise, that there is no power of transference possessed by any false claim of mind; that there is no malpractice and no malpractitioner. The antidote for this form of evil is found in the understanding of God, in the laying hold of the facts about existence, in learning what reality is. This is the perfect remedy. In this understanding and positive affirmation of spiritual truth lies the sovereign cure for the belief that evil is transferable.

The consciousness receptive to these erroneous presentments is subject to their influence, thus becoming their victim. Under such circumstances, evil seems successfully to work its will. But these conditions obtain only when a mortal, either ignorantly or willfully, lends himself to this purpose, thus becoming party to his own undoing. Into the mentality conscious only of spiritual truth, only of the presence of good, there can enter no evil suggestion. The filled vessel can hold no more. Then our perfect safeguard lies in mentally cherishing only the good and true. The mere negation of evil belief is not enough to prove its nothingness. We have always before us a parable of the Master which perfectly illustrates this important point. The unclean spirit which had been cast out, taking with him "seven other spirits more wicked than himself," entered again into the mental house from which he had been excluded, and gained entrance because it was "empty, swept and garnished," that is, unoccupied by spiritual truth. We can easily comprehend that "that last state of that man is worse than the first;" for has not evil, because of this very condition of emptiness, multiplied sevenfold in the state of consciousness receptive to it?

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