Article December 26, 1931 Issue

Denying Matter in Prosperity

JANET RANKIN AIKEN

During several years, a student of Christian Science had been denying the reality of material lack. This belief had been aggressively presenting itself—lack of money, lack of love, lack of activity, lack of accomplishment; but even when these errors seemed most real, the student had clung steadfastly to the truth, asserting the allness of Spirit and the nothingness of matter. Then the material dream changed. Where there had been little in the house, there was now plenty. Where human love had seemed lacking or shallow, a most satisfying human relationship now presented itself. Where time had too often seemed empty or purposeless, now every waiting moment was filled with pleasant and purposeful occupation.

The student rejoiced and was grateful. The months sped by with the problems of human existence seemingly solved. Then after a time it became apparent that yet another awakening was needed. The student found growing a condition of apathy toward the things of God. The very activities which had seemed so satisfying now revealed themselves as potential obstacles to more spiritual attainments. On a Wednesday evening mortal sense would argue, You are too busy to go to church. Human relations, harmonious and satisfying though they were, seemed to be potential interferences with study and spiritual growth. Material thought argued that increased expenses made the enlarged income seem not so ample as it had at first appeared to be. One Sunday in church the awakening took place. As the student realized the meaning of the line, "Tear or triumph harms," from Mrs. Eddy's poem "Feed My Sheep" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 397; Poems, p. 14), it became apparent that the enemy had not been routed from experience, but had simply appeared in a new guise. And the enemy was material thinking.

Material thinking may tempt us through human sorrow or human joy, human lack or human plenty. If we are not awake to its false claims, the temptation of material well-being may be even more insidious and mesmeric than that of material lack. Does not the history of the early Christian church bear this out? Through adversity and persecution it stood firm and extended its beneficent influence, but it was unable to withstand the temptations incidental to material prosperity. Yielding to these, it became corrupt, until after many centuries a purification came with the Reformation. While it is essential firmly to withstand the wiles of error in its attempt to convince us of sin, sickness, death, or lack in its myriad forms, it is no less essential to withstand the suggestion of materiality when it presents to us a smiling face, trying through a sense of ease in matter to turn us from the path of Truth.

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