In the ninetieth Psalm, Moses declared that the dwelling place of man throughout all generations is in the Lord. In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 465) Mary Baker Eddy defines God as follows: "God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love." We read in the Scriptures that man is the image and likeness of God; therefore man's real selfhood must be spiritual. Thus one is at home when he is conscious of God's presence and of his real selfhood. His real home is the consciousness or realization of his unity with Mind, Spirit, Love. His needs are spiritual, and the demands made upon him are spiritual demands. These demands call for the expression of more gratitude, more love, more compassion. Perhaps the greatest demand might be designated as love, because love expressed meets one's every need. The sincere desire to be loving, retained and lived, brings only good into one's experience. True love is not admiration for persons and things; it is the recognition of the good for which persons and things are but symbols, and the ability to hold steadfastly to this recognition at all times and under all circumstances.

Where the omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience of infinite Love are realized, there is home. Home is in God's power and presence, not in a locality. It is indestructible. It is not subject to floods, tornadoes, or the ravages of war. It is an impenetrable fortress. In the proportion that the true concept of home becomes a part of consciousness does the material habitation or symbol express more of the divine in beauty, dignity, orderliness, comfort, prosperity, and joy. The fear of separation, lack, and disease becomes increasingly less, and one gradually comes into the realization that nothing can enter his home "that defileth ... or maketh a lie." In this home or spiritualized consciousness, inconsideration is replaced by consideration, jealousy by trust, self-will by God's will, and self-righteousness by self-abnegation. Thus the true sense of home becomes to us an actuality.

Now someone may be thinking, This sounds very comforting, and I know that it must be true; but how does one account for the discord, confusion, and lack which seem to be so much in evidence today? This query may be answered by asking oneself two questions: If God is Spirit and man is His image and likeness, can man be material and subject to discord, confusion, and lack? Can the spiritual and infinite know or recognize the material and finite? The answer is in the negative.

Then what about this material man and his troubles, which seem so real? He is but an unreal concept of man, a concept based upon limitation and ignorance of the omnipresence, omnipotence, and omniscience of God and of man's unity with Him. The man of God's creating is intelligently conceived and is an idea of infinite Mind, in which he forever dwells.

It is the duty of each one to guard the door of his home or consciousness and censor every thought which seeks an entrance. No erroneous suggestion can enter without the consent of the porter. As one's thoughts become imbued with more love, the current of right thinking will widen until the erroneous suggestions of the so-called mortal mind are swept away.

One might liken his consciousness to the telephone, resting quietly and securely upon its stand. All at once the bell starts to ring, but there being no one at home to receive the message or respond to this call, the bell ceases to ring. The transmitter and receiver have not been changed or even disturbed by all this buzzing, because no connection was made. And thus it is with every argument which would try to carry on a conversation with us at times and disturb our harmonious home. If we do not allow our meditation on the things of Spirit to be interfered with, no connection is made with suggestions which disturb. As we refuse admission to erroneous suggestions, they cease to call on us. We would not think of opening our doors to thieves and robbers; yet that is exactly what we do when we let in the suggestions of the carnal mind.

All evil thoughts are thieves and robbers which would rob us of our God-given dominion. They not only disturb our mental home, if allowed to enter, but eventually bring in their associates—pain, disease, and death. The subtle suggestions of error are often so well camouflaged that their call is not easily detected. However, the daily study of the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, with the aid of the Lesson-Sermon in the Christian Science Quarterly, enables us to detect these unwelcome visitors before they have taken root in consciousness. We need never fear an invasion of evil suggestions, however subtle they may be, when we are busy thinking of God.

The world's concept of home weighs not one jot in the balance with God. One has only to cross the threshold of a house where unselfishness, love, and peace abide, and instantly the atmosphere is felt. The beauty of the home may be noticeable, but the most important thing with its members should be to seek "first the kingdom of God;" the added things are of secondary importance. The maintenance of this home is not subject to fluctuation; the rise and fall of the stock market do not worry its members. Its source of supply being God, the right ideas which hold sway are inexhaustible. The currency of this home is love, good will, peace, and joy and the more this currency is used the larger are the dividends.

In "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" (p. 210) Mrs. Eddy has written, "Good thoughts are an impervious armor; clad therewith you are completely shielded from the attacks of error of every sort." How alert Jesus was to this fact! Even though he was in the midst of seeming poverty, discord, confusion, and even confronted by death, he was not dismayed. He had his armor on, and not only did he shield himself, but he was enabled to unloose the fetters for others.

It is impossible to think of Jesus as ever having been homeless, and yet we have this statement in his own words: "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." Jesus also sent forth his disciples to heal and teach, without any special provision having been made for their lodging. It was his custom to retire to the lake, mountain, or seashore and spend hours, days, and sometimes weeks communing with God. Was it not his realization that the dwelling place of man is a spiritual state of consciousness and that protection and shelter— which are right ideas—are everywhere that enabled him to do these things? This state of consciousness or dwelling place of man is a sure defense from "the pestilence that walketh in darkness" and "the destruction that wasteth at noonday."

The approach to this home and eternal dwelling place of man which is the abode of all and capable of present demonstration, is beautifully portrayed in the following words from the Christian Science Hymnal: