Article June 27, 1942 Issue

Eternity, Not Time

[Written Especially for Young People]

REBECCA WHITMAN BALL

In the Glossary of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 595), our beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, gives her definition of "time" as follows: "Mortal measurements; limits, in which are summed up all human acts, thoughts, beliefs, opinions, knowledge; matter; error; that which begins before, and continues after, what is termed death, until the mortal disappears and spiritual perfection appears."

In this definition we find that Mrs. Eddy includes in the meaning of the word "time" not only that which mortal mind calls abstract, in terms of limits and measurements, but also that which this mind calls concrete, namely matter. Matter thus becomes, according to her definition, merely limitation, finiteness. Time, therefore, belongs to mortality, and every mortal evidence depends upon the element of time for its existence. To the extent that this is understood, the element of time with its limitations can be directed and controlled.

A young student of Christian Science was working at a university for a higher degree. She was soon to be given an oral examination on an amount of assigned reading. One day her professor asked whether she had begun to review a certain textbook which contained a thousand pages. She said, "No." "Well," replied the teacher, "I'll examine you on the first five hundred pages next Monday." This was not quite a week ahead. The student was very much frightened by this assignment, and started at once in her spare hours to read the book. As she sat at work in the library, she kept looking at a large clock on the wall in front of her. To her frightened sense the hours seemed to fly. The faster they went, the more confused she became. Then she suddenly realized that Christian Science could help her.

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