Article May 25, 1940 Issue

Temptation Unreal

WILLIAM KENNETH PRIMROSE

In the allegory in Genesis, the serpent is represented as assuring the woman that the eyes of those who ate of the fruit of the forbidden tree should be opened, and that they should "be as gods, knowing good and evil." Students of Christian Science, as they endeavor to put into practice what they learn through their study of the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, soon find that their success in dealing with the new situations which continually confront them, depends on their gaining and maintaining clarity of spiritual vision and spiritual understanding.

The Bible narrative in Matthew, describing the events which followed our Master's submission to his baptism by John, shows that immediately afterwards a new situation faced him in which he was called upon to make three great decisions. Apart from all other considerations, it is helpful to note that the temptations which came to him in the wilderness did not dull his clarity of spiritual vision. On the contrary, they held no attraction for him. Consequently, they were powerless to affect or influence him. When temptations came to him, he was spiritually prepared to deal with them scientifically. It is to be noted also that after his victory in that experience "angels came and ministered unto him."

On page 107 of the Christian Science textbook Mrs. Eddy writes, "In the year 1866, I discovered the Christ Science or divine laws of Life, Truth, and Love, and named my discovery Christian Science." She also says (ibid., p. 147) that through her demonstration of its divine rules, "this Science showed that Truth had lost none of its divine and healing efficacy, even though centuries had passed away since Jesus practised these rules on the hills of Judæa and in the valleys of Galilee." From this it necessarily follows that these divine laws and rules must have been always in existence. They must have been operative in the days of Enoch; and it must have been through his practice of them that he was translated. They must have been operative also in the time of Moses; and it must have been through his understanding of them that he was enabled to perform the marvelous feat of delivering the children of Israel from the bondage of Pharaoh, and leading them out of Egypt.

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