Article November 12, 1949 Issue

"ON STAGE"

HARRIET PATCHIN BOTHAM

At one time when a student of Christian Science was retyping the script of a play, she found herself thinking of the effect the direction "on stage" had upon the actors. She realized that immediately an actor stepped upon the stage, his individuality was, for the time being, concealed by the character he portrayed. He even responded to a different name. Through the use of make-up and disguise his entire appearance was altered, in some cases enough to make him almost unrecognizable. "How like a stage is daily experience," she thought, and then she was reminded of Mary Baker Eddy's words, found in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 250), "Upon this stage of existence goes on the dance of mortal mind."

No one would for a moment believe that what is acted on a stage is real, even though the action may be so convincingly portrayed as to stir the audience to great emotions. Nevertheless, the audience is not deceived. In somewhat the same way one may, if he understands man to be the image and likeness of God, disbelieve all that mortal mind presents "upon this stage of existence," no matter how convincing it appears. True identity and individuality often seem to have been hidden behind masks of sickness and sin for many years. But the study of Christian Science reveals how these masks may be removed, even as an actor relinquishes his role and removes his make-up.

The false claim to mind, called mortal mind in Christian Science, is the director of its actors, mortal men and women. This mortal mind also boasts an audience of minds many that believes everything false which it seems to see, hear, and feel. Our beloved Leader says on page 86 of Science and Health: "Mortal mind sees what it believes as certainly as it believes what itsees. It feels, hears, and sees its own thoughts."

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