Everyone worships something, some concept of power which he enthrones in his thought. From one's thought of Deity is fashioned his experience. When Jesus met the woman at the well in Samaria, as related in the fourth chapter of John, he helped her to understand the right way to worship God. He said, "Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship." Then he went on to tell her, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."

This loving counsel of our Master's has been generally accepted by all Christians, but the full significance of its meaning came with the discovery of Christian Science by Mary Baker Eddy. On page 106 of her book "Miscellaneous Writings" Mrs. Eddy says: "It has long been a question of earnest import, How shall mankind worship the most adorable, but most unadored,—and where shall begin that praise that shall never end? Beneath, above, beyond, methinks I hear the soft, sweet sigh of angels answering, 'So live, that your lives attest your sincerity and resound His praise.'" In these words we see that real worship and praise of God are not found in the rites and ceremonies of formal religion, but in the spirit which motivates and governs the lives of His followers.

In the Bible there are many instances of men whose lives revealed the sincerity of their worship and praise of God. For instance, the three Hebrews stood firm when King Nebuchadnezzar decreed that anyone failing to fall down and worship the golden image which he set up should be cast into a fiery furnace. They refused to bow down to the idol, and so they were bound and cast into the fire. In this experience only the fetters which bound them were destroyed. It was not what the men said but what they did when put to the test that showed what and how they worshiped. Daniel was cast into a den of lions because he refused to obey King Darius' decree that no man ask a petition of any god or man except himself for thirty days. Daniel's devout worship of his God proved to be his protection from the bestial elements of the so-called carnal mind, and he emerged from the experience unharmed.

That this same devout worship of God protects men today may be seen in the following illustration. After many years in business a man found himself suddenly faced with a situation which threatened the very existence of his business. His worship of God as divine Principle was seen in the fact that at all times and under all circumstances he had conducted his business with integrity.

As work for him was taken up by a faithful Christian Science practitioner the king's words to Daniel came to her thought (Dan. 6:16), "Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee." She pointed out that the God whom he had served by his upright, ethical, and unselfish acts would not fail him in his hour of need; and so it proved to be. In a very short time the problem was solved. God delivered him, even as He had delivered Daniel and the three Hebrews centuries ago.

We learn in Christian Science that God is Mind, Soul, Principle, Spirit, Life, Truth, and Love. These terms are synonymous and must be loved and lived in order to be understood. The First Commandment (Ex. 20:3), "Thou shalt have no other gods before me," is a basic rule of those who are striving to put the understanding of God's allness into practice in everyday living.

In trying to determine whether he was living in accordance with his understanding of God a student of Christian Science asked himself the following questions: Do I really worship Mind? Is Mind so real to me that I resist every suggestion of intelligence, sensation, or cause in matter? Do I acknowledge intelligence to be Mind's manifestation and understand that it is not localized in the pulpy substance called the brain?

Do I actually worship Spirit? Is Spirit's all-inclusiveness so factual to me that I cannot be tempted to believe the testimony of the material senses, which say that man can be sick, deformed, or disabled? Is Spirit's omnipotence so absolute to me that I cannot be tempted to resort to material methods of healing?

Am I worshiping God as Soul? Is spiritual sense so loved by me that I cannot be deceived into believing that happiness, bliss, or satisfaction is to be found in the realm of materiality? Do I worship Principle so completely that I do not yield to the suggestion to be dishonest, unethical, or unfair? Is Life so real to me that I cannot be led to believe that joy can be extinguished, that health can fail, or that peace can be destroyed?

Do I worship Love by being so occupied in enthroning Love in my thought that I cannot stoop to resentment, unkindness, or hatred in any guise? Do I worship Truth? Is the truth of man's unity with God so revered by me that I am not tempted to personalize evil and its lies? These questions helped the student in his endeavor to live what he knew of God, and he experienced greater spiritual growth than ever before.

The unfolding of the heavenly city, or spiritual consciousness, to John's vision is recorded in the book of Revelation. So awe-inspiring was this unfolding or revelation that John was tempted to fall down and worship the angel that brought him the message, but the angel said (22:9), "See thou do it not: ... worship God." Christian Scientists acknowledge Jesus as their Way-shower and strive to follow all his commands, including the one to heal the sick. They honor Mrs. Eddy as the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science. Their gratitude and love for the work of both Jesus and their Leader, Mrs. Eddy, are unbounded, but they do not worship their personalities.

A study of the life of Mrs. Eddy shows her complete refutation of any phase of personal idolatry. We may well fellow her counsel given on page 15 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" in these words: "The Master's injunction is, that we pray in secret and let our lives attest our sincerity." We worship God rightly when we live what we know of Him.