In a familiar passage in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy writes (p. 240), "Remember that mankind must sooner or later, either by suffering or by Science, be convinced of the error that is to be overcome." In many instances both processes are at work to awaken the dormant senses to the need for progress. The following may serve as an example.

A Christian Scientist was stricken with a severe skin irritation which seemed not to yield to his treatment. Upon asking a Christian Science practitioner for help he admitted that he was subject to daily annoyance from one who aggravated and irritated him sorely. The practitioner made it clear to him that as hateful, resentful thinking is foreign to true Christianity, he should with all diligence overcome it and endeavor to follow Paul's admonition to the Philippians, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." With the help of the practitioner's treatments, the unhealthy types of thought, such as anger, aggravation, bitterness, resentment, hatred, and the like, were overcome and exchanged for thoughts of love, patience, tranquillity, tolerance, and calmness. This mental transformation in turn found expression in a wholesome physical condition, and a complete healing was accomplished. Thus was proved true Mrs. Eddy's statement (ibid., p. 569), "He that touches the hem of Christ's robe and masters his mortal beliefs, animality, and hate, rejoices in the proof of healing,—in a sweet and certain sense that God is Love."

It is to be noted that while suffering appeared to play an important part in this experience, at most it but served to turn thought away from mortal sense or morbid thoughts toward a scientific understanding of the truths of real being, of life in God. Through the teachings of divine Science we see man's oneness with God, and proportionately as thought becomes at one with divine Mind the perfection of real being is realized. When this realization is attained, healing follows. Our Leader has pointedly written (ibid., p. 242): "There is but one way to heaven, harmony, and Christ in divine Science shows us this way. It is to know no other reality—to have no other consciousness of life—than good, God and His reflection, and to rise superior to the so-called pain and pleasure of the senses."

If one be tempted to believe in the reality of suffering, the belief should be rightly handled and overcome. This is but one of the various evils arising from the illusion of life in matter, the mirage of error; and as we recognize evil suggestion as having no substance, our fears vanish and the suffering is dissolved into nothingness, illusion, and thus disappears. However, should the suffering be the effect of sin, the sin must be forsaken.

Science reveals that any error to be corrected, any sickness to be healed, any sin to be forsaken, any false claim to be put off, must be seen as a vagary of mortal mind, because there is no error in the divine Mind, God. It is mortal mind which suggests the sense of suffering in matter. When the Christ, Truth, comes to human consciousness, it designates the upward course to follow. Through scientific knowing, one recognizes the perfection of God and His ideas, and God's thoughts, spiritual realities, take possession of one's consciousness, informing and instructing it in ways of peace, harmony, and wholeness. Thus one's thinking becomes spiritualized, and the unity of God and man, cause and effect, is recognized and perfection realized. This is the true way, the Christian Science way.

The way of scientific knowing is a glorious way; comfort, peace, power, ability, and capacity for good come through Science, which rescues one from the lying, hypnotic suggestions of mortal, material senses. The realization of the perfection and substance of reality comes through divine Science, unerring Mind. Christian Science enables the individual to awaken to his true selfhood, life in Soul, and thus become aware of Love's infinite means of salvation.

In whatever condition one may find himself, he can, because of Love's omniscience and omnipresence, so understand the law of divine Principle and maintain it in his consciousness that it becomes to him the law of Life, elevating his consciousness to heights before unknown and opening vistas of peace and understanding. Then he can sing with confidence these words from a hymn: