When one learns in Christian Science that all things are mental, that everything one cognizes is a mental concept, the importance of differentiating between what is true and what is false is seen.

Christian Science teaches that the true concept of man, the offspring of Life, God, is spiritual. It teaches that the belief of man as mortal, material, sickly, sinful, and dying is untrue, and therefore is to be rejected. Through the acceptance of this spiritual view and the rejection of all that is false, thought is gradually conformed to the point of view of divine good, where God sees all His creation in a spiritual and eternal light. Such reasoning makes it easier for the individual to detect in his thinking everything unspiritual, and cast it out as a phase of nothingness.

This is the way Jesus worked. Mrs. Eddy says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (pp. 476, 477): "Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick." Whatever the material presentation seemed to be—whether disease, lack, sin, or death—our great Master, through seeing that God is All-in-all, and His creation is perfect, and that consequently evil is nothing, destroyed every form of error and established in its place the healthy, normal state or condition.

To human sense it does not always seem easy to hold to the right point of view. Occasionally we are beset by what appear to be fearful odds; but it is always satisfying to know that, because materiality is but the counterfeit of spirituality, the reverse of what sometimes seems tragic to mortals is found to be the only true and therefore tenable concept of the situation. How often are we tempted to turn from the spiritual point of view! Almost everywhere we turn there are distracting views. Self-pity and discouragement at times surge into our consciousness, but we instinctively turn to God for help, and the heavenly "Fear not!" gives us courage and strength.

The story of the servant of Elisha, as recorded in the sixth chapter of II Kings, is always inspiring. Looking out through eyes of fear, he saw his master and himself surrounded by their avowed enemies. But Elisha said, "Fear not," and prayed to God, "Open his eyes, that he may see," and his view was changed. Enlightened by spiritual sense, the young man saw "the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." His right view now allowed him to see things in a clearer light. He had looked through the material mist and caught a glimpse of man's spiritual estate as the son of God. May our own vision be conformed to this glorious view! Then we can speak to all forms of evil as having authority over them; for there is no darkness in the presence of light.

Sometimes we may be tempted to believe that we are the victims of malpractice. We may be prone to complain about what we have to meet. Does not a lighted lamp drive the darkness away? That is the office of light—to obliterate everything unlike itself. And so when we are beset with the darkness of wrong thinking, let us not complain; for if we do, we are attempting to make something out of nothing. Our seeming lack of protection turns out to be a lack of the light of Truth. The remedy for all evil is to express more of divine Principle, Love, in our daily lives; for "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." What does God know of mental darkness—matter, sin, disease, death? Nothing! What do we know about them as we attain and maintain the spiritual point of view? Only their nothingness, their unreality!

On page 113 of Science and Health we read: "The letter of Science plentifully reaches humanity to-day, but its spirit comes only in small degrees. The vital part, the heart and soul of Christian Science, is Love." The spirit of Love—that is the important thing! Most of us have something of the letter, but all too few have enough of the spirit necessary to perform the wonderful works of which Christian Science is capable. Paul said, "The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." What but prayer and fasting from materiality, consecrated study of the Bible and the writings of our Leader, together with direct and importunate communion with our Father-Mother God, will effect that self-surrender necessary for us to become, here and now, fit representatives of the Most High? The letter is necessary; but let us not forget that the connecting link between the letter and demonstration is always the spirit of unselfed love, that love which gives all for the Christ-principle. Christian Science cannot be proved by rote or formula. A so-called sinner may prove the rules of mathematics. Only the loving heart can demonstrate that Life, God, is All; for, as our Leader says (Poems, p. 7), "Love alone is Life."

What a wonderful vista this opens! To love is to live! This is the utilization of the love which reflects God, a love that sees beyond the mist of material sense and beholds the man of God's creating, thus removing from individual consciousness whatever is unlike Love. Think of how human mother-love comforts childish hearts! How much more does the love of God bestow perfect care and protection, and, when accepted, remove every doubt and fear, establishing the kingdom of heaven in the hearts of men! No wonder we are told on page 225 of Science and Health that "Love is the liberator"! How could it be otherwise when Love enables us to realize that spiritual man is as free from evil as is his Maker?

Sometimes a Christian Scientist seems baffled by a delayed healing. His only recourse is to turn more unreservedly to God for help; and as he does this in humility and love, he can know that God will guide him through spiritual ascendancy to the self-sacrifice necessary to make the demonstration. The secret of our Master's marvelous success was his unfailing allegiance to God, with whom, he knew, all things are possible. Through a life of compassion and tenderness he was enabled to look upon creation in a perfect, spiritual light. This exalted vision he gave to the world, utilizing its irresistible power to dispel every form of evil and limitation. It is this view, gained through emulating Jesus' life, which enables us to go and do likewise.