Men in general believe that in order to keep well, one must observe certain rules regarding food, hygiene, and so forth. The humanly friendly advice, "Take care of yourself," has often been confined to concern for one's physical well-being.

In the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy writes (P. 383), "We need a clean body and a clean mind," and adds, "The pure and exalting influence of the divine Mind on the body is requisite, and the Christian Scientist takes the best care of his body when he leaves it most out of his thought, and, like the Apostle Paul, is 'willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.' "

Through the daily study of the Bible and Mrs. Eddy's writings the student becomes convinced that cause and effect are mental. God, the infinite divine Mind, is the only cause, and creation, unfolding spiritual ideas, the only effect. Effect, then, like cause, is good, and is manifested in health, harmony, love, joy, and purity. Matter, or the body, being nonintelligent, the opposite of Spirit, God, is but the counterfeit of man in God's image and likeness. Hence it is not true effect. Since matter is not effect, it has no cause. Our beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, makes this clear when she states in Science and Health (p. 310), "Thought will finally be understood and seen in all form, substance, and color, but without material accompaniments."

Knowing that cause and effect are spiritually mental, the student of Christian Science is not concerned with material phenomena, but with spiritual understanding. When confronted with an inharmonious condition, whether it be ill-health, lack of supply, or some other difficulty, he begins to clarify his thinking, and to find in what particular instance he has failed to measure up to his spiritual status as a son of God. His gaze must have dropped from the sublime height, where God is seen as All-in-all. Retracing his mental steps, he holds his vision to the reality of being, wherein God governs His creation in perfect harmony, and once more conforms his thinking to the divine order, and is protected and cared for as the child of God.

Christian Science reveals the scientific, systematic way in which to maintain the true sense of health and harmony. As the gardener weeds his garden, and waters the things he has planted, so does a Christian Scientist protect and cherish the thoughts that keep his consciousness conformed to the spiritual reality. Then he is not influenced by the subtle whisperings of the carnal mind, but rejects them, and thought thus dwells safely in the atmosphere of eternal Life, God. It is this consciousness of divine reality that destroys whatever form of error presents itself, whether it be in the student's own experience or in the experience of another person who is seeking help.

Thus at the beginning of each day the first duty of a C'mistian Scientist is to reflect the light of spiritual understanding. In true communion with the infinite divine Mind, his heavenly Father, he dissociates his thought from material beliefs, claims his true selfhood, and acknowledges no will but the divine. His sincere resolve to serve God only, and to live for the good of others, finding joy in loving service, renders available to him the divine power, making him joyous and strong.

Steadfastness and persistency are needful qualities in keeping thought lifted above the din of materiality. In Paul's letter to the Ephesians we read: "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. herefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." Christian Science teaches us how "to withstand in the evil day." It teaches us to know our true self, to know our inseparability from God, the divine Mind, so that no storm of material sense can induce us to abandon our trust in God. or be shaken in faith. Should the seeming storm be fierce, we bend our head a little lower in humility and find ourselves protected and unharmed.

One of the most precious gifts derived from the study of Christian Science is the capacity for spiritual listening. As we listen to the "still small voice" of Truth, hypothetical reasoning and intellectual wrestling are silenced, and God and His creation are seen as the only reality. Thus are the beliefs of mortal mind arrested, and the divine Mind illumines consciousness.

To the Christian Scientist, love and gratitude are indispensable. He knows that no one can successfully accomplish anything without a right motive of helpfulness to others; and that a person cannot indulge ingratitude without stultifying his sense of spiritual power. True qualities, however, are not at once realized in their full significance. Real appreciation of them grows with spiritual vision and an increased sense of humility. When the false sense of self gives place to the true spiritual selfhood, love and gratitude become more active in thought, and enable one to discern the ever-present good which comes from the divine Mind and is manifested in all God's creation.