Article September 1, 1928 Issue

What the Lens of Science Reveals

MARY VANDERMARK

Among the memories of our earliest Bible lessons, many of us cherish most those dealing with the childhood of Jesus and with his loving regard for the little ones during his ministry on earth. A mother seems to have many problems in bringing up a family of children. To handle these problems rightly in Christian Science means much individual discipline; and such overcoming opens a great fount of sympathy and understanding, which overflows and blesses many others outside the immediate home circle.

A little child after starting school seemed quite unable to grasp the simplest kind of number work. Toward the end of the first school year the teacher expressed the thought that it would be necessary to start the child over again, as apparently she could not add two and three or even two and two together. Daily drill at home on very simple addition failed to produce any improvement, and the mother began to seek for Christianly metaphysical help on the subject. In turning to the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, she was led to read the statement (p. 102), "There is but one real attraction, that of Spirit." It was immediately realized that just as the flower under the attraction of the sun's warm rays unfolds and gives out its fragrance and beauty, so the child, when the attraction of divine Mind is perceived, unfolds in natural orderliness its reflected powers of intelligence and activity. As the mother worked along this definite line of thought, the problem was perfectly solved, and the child soon took her place among the highest of her class, passing the grade with an excellent standing.

On page 407 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy writes, "Let the perfect model be present in your thoughts instead of its demoralized opposite." Christ Jesus was the model for all childhood before he became the Way-shower and the example of perfect manhood. We read in Luke, "And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him." It is a wonderful thing for a mother to contemplate this perfect unfolding. This is the model, the example of the "firstborn among many brethren." With this ideal in clear view, we can confidently deny on behalf of our children such false suggestions as lack of development, overgrowth, weakness, nervousness, and so on, and stem the undercurrents of fear and anxiety by ever letting the perfect model be present in our thoughts. Undesirable habits, ill nature, and seeming reluctance to accept the truths we would patiently instill, can also be eradicated by the same method.

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