Standing on the seashore viewing the broad expanse of water before him, one is confronted with the erroneous belief that the earth is flat. As we watch what is termed sunrise, sense testimony would have us believe that the earth is stationary and the sun moving from east to west. The mirage, which is but an atmospheric illusion, appears to be the genuine landscape to one who does not know the fact about it.

There are other apt illustrations which show that the testimony of the corporeal senses is not reliable, is far from accurate and should not be depended upon when the endeavor is to understand and demonstrate Truth. But there is no law, power, or combination of circumstances able to compel one to believe that the earth is flat, that the sun moves from east to west, that a mirage is the landscape or even a part of it.

God, the divine Mind, is infinitely intelligent. Man, the full and complete reflection of Mind, God, is the intelligent manifestation of this allknowing Mind. God has given man dominion, and through the utilization of this God-given dominion one is enabled to differentiate between truth, facts, realities, harmony, good, and error, illusion, unrealities, discord, evil; then to quickly repudiate and abandon the latter and retain the former.

Human beings are continually having thrust upon them false beliefs of various kinds which mortal mind would have them accept as true because this fallacious mind, the myth mind, claims them to be true. Thanks to the spiritual teachings of Christian Science, we are furnished with an accurate standard, or gauge, wherewith we may determine whether or not the thing being considered is a fact or a falsity. Each one may ask himself this question: "Is this condition, this thought or thing claiming my consideration or acceptance, God-created, God-known, and wholly good?" If the answer is in the negative, the individual may at once discard it as an erroneous belief of false material sense.

Let us rejoice that the very instant we become conscious that what has seemed real is but a mistake, a falsity, an illusion, we can at the same instant know that we are never compelled to believe the lie. Imbued through Christian Science with the intelligence of Mind, Spirit, Soul, we are equipped with spiritual discernment and ability to reject error of every kind, regardless of the subtlety with which it is presented, and to accept, experience, and enjoy the abundant good provided by our heavenly Father, divine Love.

Mankind in general, influenced by the testimony of the physical senses and unenlightened by the revelations of Christian Science, frequently face the belief of bodily illness in various forms, conditions, and degrees of severity. In some instances the former verdict of a medical doctor appears to excite the fears of the individual sufferer until he becomes convinced that sickness is a reality, an actual condition of matter.

One of the glorious and most important facts of the teachings of Christian Science is that Spirit is never sick, and that matter or body cannot be. The mortal body is but the externalization of mortal thought, or belief. It is through Truth that the so-called human mind is reached by divine Mind and the spiritual activity of divine Mind forces the relinquishment, on the part of mortal mind, of all sense of error, sickness, and suffering. Eventually it will be realized that what is termed mortal mind never really existed and all that was ever present was the divine Mind, wherein there was, and is, nothing but good.

It should not be difficult for any individual to see that he is not compelled to continue believing in sickness once he gains the conviction that sickness is an illusion of false material sense, comparable to the conditions of a night dream. A mistake of itself has no power to force its acceptance upon anyone. A mathematical mistake such as six times six is sixty, written on paper or a blackboard, need not be believed or accepted even though one may hold the paper in his hand or see the figures on the board.

Perhaps one may say, "How can I help believing that pain is real when I am so consciously aware of its presence, and it seems to be active and definitely located in my body?" In answer to this question it may be said that one thing can be and should be done at once, and that is begin with rightly directed reasoning, based upon Truth, not sense testimony, to judge righteous judgment. Because pain is always an erroneous mental impression, as are anger, sorrow, fear, no one has seen a pain. Pain could not be described as red, white, or blue; it could not have length, breadth, depth, or weight.

Christian Science reveals the belief of pain to be an illusion of false meterial sense, and whenever any belief is corrected by spiritual understanding the belief and its seeming effects fade into nothingness. The inevitable result is that harmony, freedom, and health are discerned right where discord, pain, or sickness formerly claimed presence and activity. "A change in human belief changes all the physical symptoms, and determines a case for better or for worse. When one's false belief is corrected, Truth sends a report of health over the body." Thus does Mary Baker Eddy state the facts on page 194 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures."

One of the commonplace beliefs which many persons, and sometimes a community, feel compelled to accept and to suffer from is the belief of lack, manifested as shortage of needed commodities, transportation facilities, fuel, food, or money. To the physical senses these limitations appear to be real and quite alarming, but never with spiritual sense does lack of any kind find acceptance, presence, or power.

It is related in the fourth chapter of II Kings that three persons, a widow and her two sons, were lacking money and were also much in debt. The widow feared that soon her two sons would be taken as bondmen by her creditor. The fear-filled mortal mind could discern no way out of the apparently hopeless situation. This widow turned to Elisha the prophet for help and guidance. Elisha understood the true nature of God and the scientific relationship of man to God, the source and Giver of all good. Not for an instant did this "man of God" feel that belief in lack was compulsory because it had been presented to him by a mortal who temporarily was frightened, bewildered, and doubtful.

It is noteworthy that Elisha called upon the widow to do her part. First, he asked her to tell him what she already had in her house; she did so, saying that she had a pot of oil. Secondly, he required of her that she borrow vessels, not just a few, but many; she must be prepared to receive abundance. Thirdly, he directed her to enter her house and shut the door upon herself and her sons; she was made aware of the necessity of barring her consciousness against intrusion by any false beliefs which claimed presence, reality, or power. Fourthly, she was instructed to pour out the oil into all the vessels available; that is, she must obediently make the right use of what she already possessed. Willing obedience, coupled with spiritual receptivity, brought immediate and satisfactory results, for every vessel was filled with oil. "Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest."

Christ Jesus was not daunted when confronted with what appeared to be an acute shortage of food for a multitude of about five thousand men, besides women and children, notwithstanding they were in a desert place. The Master never found it compulsory to believe in lack, danger, or suffering. His undimmed spiritual understanding of God's presence, power, and abundance, coupled with his positive knowledge of man's at-one-ment with divine Love, enabled him to provide what was needed for the multitudes with the same immediateness that Elisha demonstrated that which was necessary for a group of three persons.

In times of war and rumors of war, mortals have to guard against the threat of danger, for human belief would have us accept its suggestions that our loved ones, or we ourselves, may experience injury, sickness, or loss. The glorious and definitely practical teachings of Christian Science, when understood and scientifically applied, enable its adherents to refuse to accept or believe in the lying illusion that man, God's idea, is apart from or outside of God. Because of man's eternal inclusion in Deity, man can never get out of safety into danger. Did not the Psalmist clearly reveal the fact that if one made his bed even in hell, God was there to protect and sustain him? No manifestation of eternal Life can ever change or die. No spiritual idea of the one Mind can suffer from disease, meet with an accident, experience impairment, loss, or extermination. The perfection and permanency of the divine Mind ensure the complete perfection and continuity of the divine idea, man. These truths are demonstrable in ruling out error's claims.

A young man well known to the writer served as a gunner in World War II. He was in a bomber returning to the home base after a mission. It appeared that the plane, which was badly damaged, might crash before a suitable landing could be made in safe territory. The young man was an earnest student of Christian Science, as were his mother and his brother, who were giving him loving support. To mortal sense grave danger might have been believed imminent, but through faith, trust, and spiritual understanding of God's present and unfailing control the plane reached its base without any of its occupants experiencing harm. This is another proof that "the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear" (Isa. 59:1).

Although falsities, fears, and erroneous beliefs assume what appear to be startling proportions, anyone who is equipped with spiritual discernment, which Christian Science abundantly demonstrates, may quickly make the decision as to what is illusion and what is reality. Then one is enabled to know that false believing is never compulsory, but knowing the truth is spontaneous and natural. God has made man capable of knowing Truth, and great is the reward of proving this. The great Metaphysician, Christ Jesus, lovingly counseled his hearers, and all mankind should be his hearers (John 8:31, 32), "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."