Consciously or unconsciously every human being is stirred by encouragement to think and work more effectively and to win higher and more lasting achievements. At no time in world history have so many people been in greater need of the cheering, heartening, strengthening power of right encouragement. It is a potent antidote to the fear, turmoil, and defeatism which appear to beset mankind so confusingly today.

But what is right encouragement? Is it blind optimism? Is it wishful thinking? Is it merely whistling to keep up one's own or another's courage? No, the encouragement which Christian Science offers is an infusion into one's thought of courage, springing from the unshakable confidence that God is absolute intelligence, Life, Love, Principle. Hence He neither promulgates nor permits the strife and danger which a material sense of things asserts is surrounding and assailing us all. His is a realm, and truly there is no other realm, of law and order. He holds His beloved people in His omnipotent care without a moment's cessation. He bestows on us only joy, peace, plenty, satisfaction.

The Bible is full of impelling declarations which move us to have faith in the triumph of good over evil, safety over a sense of peril, right over wrong. Moreover, the Bible records many instances of spiritual encouragement, bringing about demonstrations in human affairs of the potency and victory of the forces of right. Time after time Moses assured the children of Israel, and these assurances, planted on a realization of divine Mind's presence and power, brought them through dire troubles and dangers to the promised land —the conscious demonstration of happiness and security. The lives of Daniel, David, Joseph, and other characters of the Old Testament contain many occurrences proving the salutary effect of spiritual encouragement. Isaiah approves its use in these words: "They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil."

The Bible may rightly be called the Book of Encouragement, for, in addition to the inspiring incidents and uplifting sentiments contained in the Old Testament, we find the New Testament devoted to the life and works of the greatest encourager in all history, Christ Jesus, and to those of his followers. His healing and teaching were continually accompanied by words which lifted men and women out of their alarms and limitations: "Fear not" "Be of good cheer," "Be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole." Thus he brought fortitude and confidence and wholeness to humanity.

Paul knew the value of encouragement. Said he, "All things work together for good to them that love God." Many similar words of Christianly scientific good cheer punctuate the Acts of the Apostles and the apostles' inspiring epistles.

No less did Mary Baker Eddy, as the Leader of Christian Scientists, recognize and employ spiritual encouragement. That surely is one of the reasons for the unfaltering progress of her Church of Christ, Scientist. Her book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," and other writings are prolific with such uplifting expressions as (Pulpit and Press, p. 3), "Know, then, that you possess sovereign power to think and act rightly, and that nothing can dispossess you of this heritage and trespass on Love."

That spiritual encouragement bears fruit no less today than in Bible times is shown by a recent episode. A serious situation seemed to a young man to threaten his entire success in life. He was about to lose, so it appeared, the benefits of years of preparation for his chosen vocation and to be denied the fruition of honest devotion to purpose. At a moment of virtual despair, an experienced Christian Scientist voiced to him the truth that God, commanding Principle, is right at hand, completely controlling every situation. He also encouraged the young man to know that he, too, indeed possessed the "power to think and act rightly," and that right results must flow from the exercise of this power. And they did. A completely happy and successful solution to the problem was quickly reached.

The consciousness filled with the desire to help and to encourage has little room for condemnation of others. Indeed, where spiritual encouragement is lovingly and intelligently employed, it frequently helps to remove the conditions which might tempt one to condemn. It often enables the recipient of this help to follow Mrs. Eddy's stimulating counsel given on page 393 of Science and Health: "Rise in the strength of Spirit to resist all that is unlike good. God has made man capable of this, and nothing can vitiate the ability and power divinely bestowed on man."

Peter V. Ross