Article May 27, 1933 Issue

Here and Now

THOMAS H. MATTERS, JR.

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE teaches the ever-presence and availability of infinite good. It teaches how an understanding of this availability may be acquired by all. Perhaps one of the greatest impediments to the demonstration of this Science is the mortal tendency to look to the future or to dwell on the past. In the absolute truth there is naught but the ever present now.

In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 469) Mrs. Eddy's statement, "If Life ever had a beginning, it would also have an ending," makes clear the fact that for every object in His creation to have either a beginning or an ending would necessarily place a limitation on God. Since God is infinite, all good, all Life, Truth, and Love, man as His reflection is cognizant of nothing but His qualities and His attributes. The belief in a past or a future is but an error of human consciousness, which an understanding of Truth must eradicate. It belongs to the false or counterfeit mind, the last vestige of which must disappear, that divine Mind's reflection alone may be seen as real.

The realization that perfection is the present status of real being is essential to the demonstration of perfection. While it is necessary and desirable that mortals should hold ideal concepts as the goal for which to strive, their attainment must be regarded as taking place in the present. Likewise, dwelling in thought upon the so-called "better times" of the past, or upon past mistakes which are regarded as lost opportunities, gives the appearance of reality to limitations, and this precludes a present consciousness of perfection. Only through this consciousness of the present perfection of God and man is the true realization of Life obtainable. Between thoughts which dwell unduly on the past and those which dwell on the future, the present consciousness of all good would be held in suspense. Merely to hope for or anticipate the attainment of perfection is to admit that it is not now a reality. The utility of any scientific rule or corollary thereof rests upon the recognition and acknowledgement that it is true now. In order that we may prove the rule two and two equals four to be of value, we must know that it is true now, even as it was in times gone by and will be throughout the future.

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