ONE of the difficult things in our experience, it seems, is to remain on the mental heights which we sometimes reach in our work in Christian Science. If one were to credit the testimony of the physical senses, he might be tempted to believe that there is a law of extremes in operation which swings one to a low ebb after one has reached a great height; and yet we know that there is no truth in such a belief of reversal. In fact, one who, by reason of right thinking as taught in Christian Science, has lifted his thought even for an instant far above the testimony of the physical senses, cannot return to just the same low state which he has left behind. "An improved belief cannot retrograde," says Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, on page 442 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." Nevertheless, even the most consecrated workers in Christian Science are awake to the need for greater success in this realm of endeavor—that of consciously remaining in the kingdom of heaven.

Christian Science teaches that heaven is harmony. Before one can reach heaven, he must think harmonious thoughts; and if he wishes to remain therein, his thinking must be held steadfastly to the harmony of being.

Although every human illustration used to explain a scientific truth is subject to its limitations, the following, within such limits, may be helpful. Let us suppose that we are standing by a small pond, into which we cast two objects, each about the size of a baseball. One is made of cork, the other of iron. The cork remains on the surface of the water, while the iron ball immediately sinks to the bottom. Even though a strong wind is blowing and a hard rain is falling, the cork ball gently moves about on the water. We say that because the cork is lighter than water and because iron is heavier, the one floats and the other sinks. May we not say that the individual whose consciousness is buoyant in childlike faith, joyous in the expectancy of good, and who is steadfastly striving to know the truth that only good is active, is in a better position to ride over the waves of mortal mind or error than is he whose consciousness is heavy with materiality, burdened with the baggage of pride, self, sin, and fear? We must rid ourselves of the earth weights which would claim to drag us down or hold us back in our journey Christward. Unburdened of them, to some extent, even though appearances may still be to the contrary, we shall find it easier to remain in a harmonious state of consciousness.

To keep thought constantly in a state of harmony does not mean to be blindly optimistic, nor does it infer a reliance upon a magic spell of certain words, but it posits dependence upon a realization based upon spiritual understanding of God, of the ever-present, ever-available, and ever-loving divine Principle of being. The Shunammite woman's reliance is an inspiring example of faith in spiritual power. Although her dearly loved son seemed to be lying dead, she refused to give in to sorrow or to admit his death. She "shut the door upon him, and went out," by which act we might infer that she shut out fear and other mortal beliefs which might have hindered the demonstration. There was no admission on her part that the prophet could not restore her son, nor was there any procrastination in taking intelligent steps to do the thing which seemed nearest right under the circumstances, in taking her problem to one who could help her. How wise she was in protecting her problem from the opinions of others! How much less difficult will be the solving of our problems as we protect ourselves from the false sympathies or fears of others, until we become masters of suggestions instead of being servants to them! How very helpful it would be for us if we, too, when problems confront us, would say with all the faith of the Shunammite woman, "It is well"!

In God's universe there are no problems. Therefore, those that may present themselves as unsolvable in our human experiences are not without a solution when God's law of ever-present good is applied to them. The process of solving problems need not be painful. It should be painless and natural. By refusing needlessly to talk over our problems with others, we may avoid placing difficulties and obstacles in our own pathway. Because mortal mind is dependent upon witnesses for its seeming existence, it does not like true thinking. It wants all the false witnesses it can get. It wants us to accept as real its erroneous suggestions. If we refuse to accept error as real, we are preparing ourselves, as did the Shunammite, for a glorious victory over the false witnessing of the material senses—a victory of true witnessing, as a perfect child of the perfect God.

So-called material sense, or evil, is without substance or reality. It is the hypnotizer, the hypnotized, and the state of hypnosis itself. Material sense argues that it is much easier to drift downstream than to work upstream against error. But Christian Science warns us that it is folly to allow ourselves to drift downstream with mortal mind, because everything real lies in the opposite direction. The sooner we begin opposing and nullifying the subtle arguments of mortal mind, the sooner we shall begin to gain that sense of dominion which comes of spiritual understanding. Thus Christian Science teaches us that the declaration of absolute truth about the perfection of man as the child of God must be accompanied by daily progress in proving one's dominion over evil beliefs.

The real man is at one with divine Mind; he is in the kingdom of heaven, ever-present harmony, and nothing can separate him from this consciousness of ever-present good. In "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" (p. 242) our Leader writes, "Christian Science is absolute; it is neither behind the point of perfection nor advancing towards it; it is at this point and must be practised therefrom." We, therefore, must hold to the absolute truth that man is the child of God; hence, perfect. He exists at the standpoint of reflection—perfect, harmonious, and free—and, because he had no other consciousness than that which is of God, he dwells forever in the kingdom of heaven, the consciousness of ever-present good.

While we are declaring these truths, the human sense of things may be screaming loudly to the contrary, but our business is to hold steadfastly to the absolute truth about man, to cling to the eternal and immutable fact that divine Love is ever present, therefore naught else is present. For no matter what appears to be, man is in the kingdom of heaven. He always has been in it; he cannot possibly get out of it, and it is our duty to know and prove this. As we bear witness to the truth and refuse to bear witness to aught else, that which is unlike good will disappear from our experience, and the true consciousness of ever-present good, the kingdom of heaven, will be found "within" us—within our comprehension now.

Copyright, 1934, by The Christian Science Publishing Society, One, Norway Street, Boston, Massachusetts. Entered at Boston post office as second- class matter. Acceptance for mailing at a special rate of postage provided for in section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized on July 11, 1918.