The Real versus the Counterfeit

[Of Special Interest to Youth]

MELVILLE JOHN VICKERMAN

Recently a student of Christian Science found difficulty in rising above an acute sense of despair. He was newly installed in an advance base of the United Nations, and the surroundings were a far cry from the harmonious atmosphere of home. On previous occasions when it had been necessary to be away from the family circle, a comforting retreat had always been found amidst the loving hospitality of Christian Science friends. This time, however, he was completely on his own.

That a true spiritual concept of home must be gained was, he knew, his necessity. During the ensuing days, he earnestly employed his small knowledge of the facts of Science to subordinate the false claims of material sense testimony; but his heart seemed unwilling to express the joy his thought was trying to acknowledge. Discouraged by his failure to overcome his difficulties, he decided to write and ask a practitioner for help. Even as the letter was being dispatched, a "still small voice" whispered that already his prayer had been answered.

Continuing with his efforts, the young student searched the Bible to see what Christ Jesus had said about home. In Luke he found the Master's answer to a certain man who, desirous of following him, had asked that he might first bid farewell to his household. Jesus replied, "No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." This demand startled the student into the realization that he was looking back. He was hindering his own progress.

Reversing the process and looking forward, he began to know that God was his Life—not blood, bone, and breath, but spiritual activity. He saw that where God is, there is home; and with this dawning of light came the first rays of joy.

The next morning, while he was studying the week's Lesson-Sermon as found in the Christian Science Quarterly, the student's attention was particularly attracted by a citation from the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, which states (p. 286): "Material and temporal thoughts are human, involving error, and since God, Spirit, is the only cause, they lack a divine cause. The temporal and material are not then creations of Spirit. They are but counterfeits of the spiritual and eternal." Instantly the falsehood of his erroneous thinking was uncovered and destroyed. A glorious sense of joy replaced the gloom of despair, and the young man knew his demonstration had been made.

We all know that the bank teller is carefully instructed how to recognize counterfeit money. The moment the worthless notes are presented on the sill of an alert banker's window, they are immediately confiscated and properly destroyed. All this is done in strict accordance with the governmental law which prohibits any individual from possessing illegal currency.

Similarly, those of us who endeavor to solve our problems through the teachings of Christian Science, find that, like the teller, we are strongly supported by law—God's law—which prohibits and prevents any attempt to imitate His creation. John, a devoted apostle of the great Teacher, describes this law to us when he writes, "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." In the first chapter of Genesis we also read that "God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." Therefore we arrive at the logical conclusion that any counterfeit, be it of thought or of merchandise, has no existence whatever because without God, good, "was not any thing made that was made."

If in our daily activities we strive to be more watchful of our thinking and with new resolve determine to accept no counterfeits, we shall discover many old complaints fast disappearing. Our happiness will then be spontaneous. This very joy is indicated by our beloved Leader, Mrs. Eddy, in a few lines of inspired poetry printed on the frontispiece of Science and Health:

"Oh! Thou hast heard my prayer;
And I am blest!
This is Thy high behest:—
Thou here, and everywhere."

Yes, and in our joy shall we see God's "high behest." In a wonderful new-old light we approach closer to the spiritual significance of man's being and at the same time add to our experience the practical proof of another day in Christian Science.

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