Article March 9, 1935 Issue

Examinations

[Written Especially for Young People]

CAROL E. BOOTH

The purpose of an examination in school is to find out what one knows, not that of which one is ignorant. Surely it should not be a difficult task to tell what one knows or understands. The student who has Christian Science to aid him in his school examinations need have no fear that he will not be able to set forth, in a clear and orderly manner, the facts he has learned about the subject in which he is being examined, for, as a Christian Scientist, he is conscious that intelligence is the primal quality of the one Mind, God. Since man is the perfect reflection of Mind, one may therefore know that he will be abundantly supplied with all the intelligence he needs to pass the examination successfully.

Students in schools and colleges have often noticed the epidemic of fear which seems to sweep over the student body at examination periods. One hears fear, limitation, and inability voiced on every side. Here is a glorious opportunity for the Christian Scientist so to clarify his own thinking that he not only will meet the arguments of fear for himself but will help others as well. He can realize that in reality he is not living in a fearful community, but in the realm of spiritual ideas. He can know that no contagion of fear can enter this wholly spiritual thought realm; for, as the Revelator has written about the New Jerusalem, "there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie." And Mrs. Eddy tells us in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 496), "You will also learn that in Science there is no transfer of evil suggestions from one mortal to another, for there is but one Mind, and this ever-present omnipotent Mind is reflected by man and governs the entire universe."

A student of Christian Science in college was surprised at an examination time to hear a friend who was considered an unusually brilliant student express a great sense of fear and limitation. When questioned about her attitude the friend said, "Well, everyone else is afraid, and so I try to be companionable." And then she laughingly added, "And after I've sympathized with the others I find I am becoming fearful myself." This was a very revealing remark to the Christian Scientist, for it showed how utterly without foundation, even humanly speaking, are many fears one hears expressed, and also how prone one is to accept the suggestions of error which one hears voiced by others. No wonder this student found that when she agreed with the beliefs of fear she found herself experiencing them! This wakened the Christian Scientist to watch her own thinking more carefully, and to challenge the suggestions of limitation which were presented to her, so that she might not be confused or mesmerized by the seeming contagion of fear which was evident at the examination periods.

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