Christ Jesus demonstrated joyous dominion. Therefore, joyous dominion is the heritage of the followers of Jesus, who accomplish their healing work through humility and love. As recorded in the first chapter of Genesis, man was created in the image and likeness of God and given dominion over all created things. Thus dominion is the birthright of man, inherent in his nature, and bestowed upon him by his creator.

The practice of Christian Science is not burdensome, but joyous in spiritual activity and freedom. The sincere Christian Scientist gladly and gratefully enters upon his labor of love. His consciousness is so filled with the truth about God as Life eternal, as divine Love, governing man and the universe, and as divine Principle, bestowing upon man the capacity to reflect Him in divine qualities, that his healing work is at once spontaneous and joyful. The practice of Christian Science reveals unmistakably that good is ever active in human consciousness, thus ultimately leading thought onward and ever upward to the recognition of spiritual man's dominion. Our beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (pp. 517, 518): "Divine Love blesses its own ideas, and causes them to multiply,—to manifest His power. Man is not made to till the soil. His birthright is dominion, not subjection. He is lord of the belief in earth and heaven,—himself subordinate alone to his Maker. This is the Science of being."

We learn in Christian Science that there are no limits to spiritual power, for spiritual man is the reflection or expression of God, and God's power is unlimited. Limitation in any direction should never be permitted entrance to thought, and thereby prevent immediate healings. The Christian Scientist should be able at all times and under all circumstances to declare, as did Paul, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

Invisible mental bonds are restrictive and harmful. Invisible chains such as fear, hatred, cruelty, and dishonesty are of mortal mind's forging, and the self-chained victim is sometimes not inclined to make the effort to free himself. It calls for resolute, continuous work to free oneself from the bondage of animal magnetism, manifest in sinful habits. Mortals are slow to learn that obedience to God's law in every instance promotes freedom and joyous activity. As one is freed from human will, pride, and greed, one is newborn of Spirit. He allows himself to be governed by holy, uplifting thoughts, animated by the power and presence of God.

We should be watchful and alert in adhering to the truth, as taught in Christian Science, when error threatens violence abroad or at home, and reject the belief in the reality and power of evil. To attach evil to personality in our own thinking is to endow it with seeming power. Mrs. Eddy writes (ibid., p. 186): "Evil is self-assertive. It says: 'I am a real entity, overmastering good.' This falsehood should strip evil of all pretensions. The only power of evil is to destroy itself. It can never destroy one iota of good."

The alert Christian Scientist must early learn to recognize and thwart the insidious suggestions that advancing years have the power to destroy Life and its faculties. The human mind believes man to be material, therefore subject to discord, deterioration, and decay. Immortal Mind knows man to be perfect and indestructible. Advancing years should lead one further in the knowledge of God, of the power of divine Principle to sustain God's creation, and the powerlessness of evil suggestions to disturb or destroy that which God creates. In this as in every direction of thought we should most earnestly strive to free ourselves and others from the devastating beliefs of age. Christlike qualities, such as humility, compassion, and unselfed love, clothe one with the true sense of dominion over the boastful enemy. Spiritual man is ever controlled by divine Love, and the knowledge of this confers freedom from the tyrannical power of human will.

In the book of Joshua we read that Caleb said, "And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in."

At one time a youthful student of Christian Science was assigned as teacher of a school where the student body was largely composed of children of foreign birth. It soon became evident that a concerted attempt to make trouble for the teacher was being carried on. Every evening the teacher and her mother spent many hours in consecrated study of Christian Science, and upon leaving her home in the morning the teacher held valiantly to her understanding of Truth. However, insubordination among the students increased daily, until one afternoon she reached her home in a state of seeming mental and physical collapse.

Then the mother and daughter spent the evening reading Psalms and singing hymns. The following morning the teacher felt sufficiently refreshed to return to her work with joy. Upon arriving at the schoolroom she was overjoyed to find the pupils manifesting harmony on the campus and in their attitude toward her. Thus was demonstrated joyous dominion, blessing all concerned. Out of a full heart the mother and teacher could say, in the words of the Psalmist, "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name."

In order to demonstrate spiritual dominion the Christian Scientist must first gain dominion over the false sense of self, ever magnifying good in his consciousness. Purity of thought and deed invokes divine approval and protection, girding one with the shining armor of righteousness. In the kingdom of heaven there can be no sense of limitation or frustration, and no belief in the power of an unhappy past to mar present happiness and success. The Christian Scientist, conscious of his relationship with his Father, should go forward with full assurance of spiritual dominion and success in every righteous undertaking. Personal domination, which would deprive another of freedom, being unreal, must disappear before the truth that God is the only Mind. In the realm of Spirit man is ever under the divine law of harmony, manifesting joyous dominion.