"Do you want God?" is as arresting a question as, "Do you want the multiplication table?" Whether you want the multiplication table or not, it is here. You have nothing to do with making and maintaining it but you have much to do with acquainting yourself with it and using it. A similar figure may be used on a much higher level. God is— whether we think we want Him or not. We have no more to do with making and maintaining the relationship between God and man than we have to do with making the multiplication table, but it is a pitiful thing for us if we do not seek to understand that relationship and utilize it. How wild would be the mathematical calculations and how collapsible the work of the engineer who scorned the principle of mathematics! How futile are the life purposes of him who tries to live without God!

A young college man who was profoundly interested in his chosen profession turned to Christian Science for light and visited a Christian Science practitioner. He said he was disturbed by his indifference toward religion. He felt that he ought to desire to know something of the truth about God and man, but frankly he thought that he wanted professional success more than he wanted God. He said that certain religious pictures which represented God as an old man with a long beard, sitting on a cloud, had offended his intelligence. He felt that he could not accept that kind of God; but what kind of God was there? What kind of God did he want? He was assured that he need not be lonely in his quest, for every thinking individual somewhere along life's highway stops to ask similar questions and looks for signs directing him to his spiritual destination.

To all who find themselves facing a similar problem. Christian Science offers the one and only solution. Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, takes the Bible as the basis of her teachings, set forth in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." On page 587 of this book she defines God as, "The great I am; the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-acting, all-wise, all-loving and eternal; Principle; Mind; Soul; Spirit; Life; Truth; Love; all substance; intelligence." It will be noted that here are seven synonyms for God. Consider in this connection Genesis 1:26, 27, which reads in part: "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.... So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." It becomes clear, then, that man, as the image and likeness of God must be characterized by the qualities of God, the qualities embraced in the seven synonyms for God. One who consciously reflects these qualities and sets himself to understand and make use of them, thereby frees himself from self-imposed limitations. Whatever his profession or human activity, he travels always in the line of light. His progress is sure.

In considering the first synonym of our Leader's definition, we might reason something like this: If man is the image and likeness of Principle, whatever is true of Principle is true of man. Principle is inviolable; it cannot be influenced. Would you desire a life unsupported by the stability of Principle, a life swayed by human influence like a branch in a breeze, a life at the mercy of personal opinion, bruised and warped by assaults of error? Or would you know your life to be so integrated with Principle that it is immune from the hammering of aggressive suggestions?

Indifferent to the fact that man expresses Mind, would you enthrone ignorance and mental impotence in your affairs, or would you thank God that you are rooted in divine Mind, and that, reflecting intelligence, you are enabled to work your way through and out of any difficulty, to accept every experience as a mental challenge and win the victory through God-empowered thinking?

Would you be strong to resist the downward pull of material allurements? Yes, if you stand fast in the fact that, since God is Spirit, man, His likeness, is spiritual, and you thus find your sinless identity in Soul. How wonderful to be so sure of yourself as the expression of Life that you refuse to be terrified by the threat of death or its processes, such as sickness, sin, accident, age or fear! If your life exemplifies Truth, you can neither express nor accept falsehood, nor be affected by it.

Let us consider Love. Love can never hate or be touched by hate. Love blesses. Hate blights. Do you choose blessing or blight? Do you choose to walk Love's way? It is the way of protection and security. If you are absolutely certain of the allness of God you must be equally certain of the nothingness of evil. Then you cannot be frightened by it for you know that the myth of evil must disappear in the presence of the acknowledged spiritual fact. Such a process of thought can be expanded far. It always heals.

Christian Science is not just another religion or denomination. It is not something merely to read or talk about. It is something to know and to demonstrate. It is the way to live. It is exact Science. Its results are sure. You may be in uniform, fighting for the "four freedoms"; you may be planning a profession or a home. Whatever you the young people of today, are doing or planning to do you cannot escape the inevitable fact that yours is the mission of world reconstruction. No generation of people in the history of the world has faced a greater challenge. You can face it with your head up, eyes front, unafraid, because you are equipped to do the work. This equipment is what we are talking about—a proper understanding of God and your relationship with Him. The consciousness of your ability to express and utilize His invincible qualities, and the extent to which you make conscious use of His qualities, will be the measure of your failure or your success. God is with you always. His qualities are yours, by reflection. Trust Him. Without a consciousness of Him you cannot succeed; but with that consciousness you cannot fail. Do you need God? Do you want God?

After the young man whose experience inspired the writing of this article had meditated on these things, he answered, in reply to this question, in a low reverent voice, "Yes, I do!"