Article August 18, 1934 Issue

Maintaining Our Affirmations

LAWRENCE CREATH AMMONS

To maintain is "to affirm; esp., to assert as true or as subject to proof; also, to support or defend by argument." One often hears the expression used by those who have an understanding of Christian Science that they maintain the truth. When doing this in the light of the above definition, these students are learning to "pray without ceasing," as Paul charged the Thessalonians to do. This should seem simple, but it appears that it is not consistently done; hence an effort must be made to bring one's thinking to the level of maintaining the truth. When persistently done, it becomes easier, and finally becomes a right habit of thought.

To maintain one's rights is almost an instinctive attitude of thought. Actually to know what is right is a matter of education. Spiritual education in Christian Science teaches one to know that right is, because God is. God, who is infinite good, is infinite Being. Then right must be the expression of infinite good. This education should begin early, but if it has been neglected it is never too late to begin. Mrs. Eddy writes (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 69), "If Christian Scientists educate their own offspring spiritually, they can educate others spiritually and not conflict with the scientific sense of God's creation." One of the Proverbs, "My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother," among many other profound admonitions in the Bible, indicates the necessity of giving and receiving spiritual instruction. When once this instruction becomes tangible and practical, it will be found easy to maintain.

At present we can affirm that good is, and defend our affirmations until we reach a realization of this truth. This realization, whether attained through argument or by the more spontaneous experience of instant inspiration, is essential to what is called demonstration in Christian Science; and harmonious results in human affairs and conditions are necessarily consequential. These results are often referred to as the demonstration itself, but actually they are only the natural results, for demonstration is truly spiritually mental, a spiritual realization attained through maintaining the truth in solving a specific problem. The resultant is that which may be made apparent to the human consciousness as an improved condition.

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