In the twelfth chapter of the Apocalypse occurs the inspiring statement, "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night."

Through "the power of his Christ," rediscovered and revealed to this age by our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, students of Christian Science are perceiving the nature of this accuser, clad in false vestments of authority, and continually proclaiming all sorts of untruths about man in God's image and likeness. These students are perceiving that the accuser is neither a person nor an evil mind, but simply an erroneous belief entertained in consciousness, and that it is to be "cast down," or silenced, by a realization of the truth about God and man at the point where the false belief is being entertained; that is, the lie is to be corrected by putting the truth in its place.

If, for instance, the accuser is declaring that one has been wronged by word or deed, that one's feelings are consequently perturbed, and that a state of suffering has been produced, the tumult is abated by the persistent effort to realize that God's idea, man,—spiritual, meek, and loving,—can neither hurt nor be hurt. Thus the false belief concerning God's image and likeness is eradicated from consciousness; and this healing silences the false accuser which has induced the belief that one could in any way benefit by injuring another. "The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword," and it can remove error on all sides. Every effort made to clear our own thoughts regarding those with whom we come in contact also blesses them in some degree; and it is certainly a heavenly inspiration to silence quickly and effectually the accuser, every time its lying accusation is heard, even if ever so faintly.

Other accusations often heard are that someone is sick, or lonely, or poor and needy; that one is the victim of circumstance, or is subject to accident; that one is a prey of fear in some phase; that all inevitably grow old. All these are false beliefs, lies against the goodness of God and the perfection of His handiwork. What is the accuser busy publishing at any moment? Are we yielding even a reluctant consent to its assertions, beginning to believe they must be true because we have heard them so often? Are we, perhaps, merely stopping our ears to the all too familiar voice, thereby cultivating a certain stolidity toward it, but in no scientific sense meeting the false argument? Or are we obeying the inspired admonition given in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy (p. 393), "Rise in the strength of Spirit to resist all that is unlike good"? On page 417 of the same textbook our Leader says, "When you silence the witness against your plea, you destroy the evidence, for the disease disappears."

Sometimes one has worked faithfully to the best of his understanding, as he thinks, without effecting any apparent change in undesirable conditions; and he is puzzled and inclined to be discouraged. Has he silenced the witness against his plea? No; for it is this false witness itself which is saying that one is puzzled, doubtful, discouraged; that his work must be defective; that he is on the wrong line of attack; that his understanding is insufficient to meet the situation. This subtle suggestion of possible failure needs to be silenced instantly. While one is busy applying his knowledge of Christian Science to refute the false argument of disease, he may be too absorbed to notice the monotony which may be entering into his affirmations, and which tends to weaken effort by depreciating the value of his mental work. In other words, the accuser's charge is often twofold, as if error would fortify itself in a false position by discouraging the effort to rout it. It seems to induce one to admit that he is sick, and that sickness is incurable; that one is in an intolerable situation, but that there is no way of escape. One may valiantly deny the reality of the sickness or the intolerable situation, as having no existence in the realm of Spirit; yet if the secondary part of the accusation, the admission that one is sick, be not handled and destroyed, the witness against one's plea may still hold the field, and for this reason the demonstration may not be conclusive.

Instead of being mesmerized into a discouraged reiteration of the arguments one has been employing, what if one should turn suddenly on the accuser with Paul's ringing cry of triumphant faith, "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us;" and again, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me"! Then the false witness is silenced indeed, and the opportunity given to perceive the effects of the good and faithful work already done. The legitimate and positive conclusion is that since error is not real, whatever the form it assumes, it cannot even seem to exist; and no argument in behalf of its seeming can be uttered or heard in the presence of all-pervading, all-prevailing good.

Is not the basic trouble in any case of delayed healing an inactive sense of God's power and presence, whereas there should be a realization so vivid that it brings out immediate proof? We do not usually entertain a stagnant sense of the presence of a loved friend and his ability to respond to our recognition of him. We welcome him, rejoice continually in his presence, commune with him, seek his counsel, endeavor to show him how much we appreciate his companionship. If a slanderous report were voiced concerning him, how quickly we would spring to his defense, refute the lie, and silence the false witness! No stagnation here! Instead, a very active sense of faith in our friend and love for him! Have we less love for God, from whom comes "every good gift and every perfect gift," even this same good gift of friendship? Oh, let us indeed arouse ourselves from a stagnant sense of His presence, a passive acceptance of it as a theory which we hope sometime to demonstrate, and, instead, let us practice our faith in the presence of God. Let us indeed deny with all boldness the lie which would declare Him absent or powerless, and which would further declare that we cannot disprove this assertion, this untruth as baseless as it is base.

In the Gospel of Matthew it is related that during the Master's ministry "great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them." Does this not hint the casting down of this same accuser which had been accusing these our brethren "before our God day and night;" that is, urging its lie upon the frightened consciousness as more important and worthy of acceptance than the good and the true? But in the presence of the master Metaphysician these falsities could not continue to be prominent in thought. The higher criticism of his perfect idealism instantly detected and dethroned false authority; and what a blessed and healing silence reigned where that clamor had lately been heard! So, as humble and loving followers of the Master, let us be found courageously "casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."