"A divine influence ever present"

LINDEN E. JONES

Today thousands of persons are finding physical healing, mental transformation, and release from servitude to sin through the understanding and correct application of the teachings of Christian Science. Indeed, the record of healing through this Science points to a long list of handicaps overcome, physical disabilities healed, financial restrictions removed, and sin destroyed.

Healing in Christian Science has its explanation. In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mary Baker Eddy writes (Pref., p. xi): "These mighty works are not supernatural, but supremely natural. They are the sign of Immanuel, or 'God with us,'—a divine influence ever present in human consciousness and repeating itself, coming now as was promised aforetime,

"To preach deliverance to the captives [of sense],
And recovering of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty them that are bruised."

How greatly does the whole world stand in need of this divine influence, permeating thought, softening the heart, and consecrating human life to the service of God! How we need it in our homes, our business, our conversation! It is imperative to the world welfare that this persuasive animus should reach to the innermost recesses of our consciousness, that all we think, say, and do, may reflect divine Love. Many weary ones today are longing to know the truth, as revealed in Christian Science, that there is but one omnipresent God, good; that evil has no reality, no power; and that man is not mortal, but immortal, not material, but wholly spiritual, the reflection of Love. And we have but to open our hearts to receive the truth revealed in Christian Science, in order to find the influence of divine Love working with us. Following our great Exemplar, Christ Jesus, we can thus speak to error with authority. The true sense of our God-given dominion comes to us through divine Science, and is expressed in the tenderness and power which God, divine Love, imparts.

Christian Science makes plain to humanity the fact that there is no influence other than that of good, for God is the only power and intelligence expressed in man and the universe. The persistent affirmation of this truth is especially needed at this time, when evil, aggressively suggesting to human thought that God is powerless, claims for itself ability, through matter, to heal and make sick, to destroy, to set households and nations at variance, and to make war. Such claims, being based upon the supposition of a material man and universe, are false and valueless, because of the fact that all that is real is spiritual. Hence the wisdom of Mrs. Eddy's words (Science and Health, pp. 82, 83), "In a world of sin and sensuality hastening to a greater development of power, it is wise earnestly to consider whether it is the human mind or the divine Mind which is influencing one." Relief from the mesmerism of fear is obtained as one's thoughts are influenced by the divine Mind alone, through the understanding of God in Christian Science. Then we cannot be swayed by emotional appeals, alarmist propaganda, whispering campaigns, or the sinuous rhetoric of the carnal mind. Evil thoughts or utterances cannot deceive the alert Christian Scientist who knows the truth of man's incorporeal, spiritual existence, and the fact that "the Lord God omnipotent reigneth."

The Scriptures present clear evidence that the holy influence of Truth is ever at work in human consciousness. It was this divine influence which inspired the faith of Abraham, enabled Joseph to triumph over wrongs and Jacob over materiality, and gave to Moses the Decalogue. The prophets felt the influence of divine Mind, which imparted to them wonderful foresight. Thus they were enabled to detect and denounce superstition and idolatry, and to point out to the people the way of escape from these evils through returning to the true worship of the one God.

The influence of the divine Mind on human minds and bodies was manifested in Christ Jesus' glorious healing works. In refutation of the popular belief that such healing was effected through evil power, Jesus said: "If I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? ... But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you." There is nothing mysterious about the healing work being done today in Christian Science, for, as in Jesus' time, such healing is the effect of the spiritual understanding of God, through the influence of the same Mind "which was also in Christ Jesus."

The only real influence in the world for good comes of God, and it is demonstrated in Christian Science in healing sickness and sin. Our Leader writes (No and Yes, p. 40): "It is Truth and Love that cast out fear and heal the sick, and mankind are better because of this. If a change in the religious views of the patient comes with the change to health, our Father has done this; for the human mind and body are made better only by divine influence." What a glorious day is dawning for mankind, as through the practice of Christian Science the whole world feels the ever-present influence of infinite divine Love!

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