People often let their thoughts dwell in the past, and such activity needlessly beclouds their present feelings and acts. Many people are also concerned about what the future may hold for them, their families, and the world. How does Christian Science help us to meet and dispose of these suggestions of fear and uncertainty, especially regarding the days to come?

In her book entitled "No and Yes" Mary Baker Eddy writes (p. 26): "God holds man in the eternal bonds of Science,—in the immutable harmony of divine law. Man is a celestial; and in the spiritual universe he is forever individual and forever harmonious." How comforting it is to receive the assurance that man is held in the "eternal bonds of Science," in the safety and security of God's unchanging law. Man's career, therefore, is one of uninterrupted unfoldment of good, of right relationships, and unlimited opportunities of glorifying God.

It is the duty of every Christian Scientist to claim daily his birthright of dominion over the testimony of the material senses, and to walk with the assurance that God's angels are ever at his side, guiding him in paths of constructive activity. He must become expectant of the rewards of work well done and victories won. Mrs. Eddy says (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 230), "Success in life depends upon persistent effort, upon the improvement of moments more than upon any other one thing." And she adds, "If one would be successful in the future, let him make the most of the present."

Uncertainty and fear of the future can be conquered through a persistent recognition of the allness of God, good, and of His benevolent government. Think what it means to you, and me, and the whole world to know that God is unerring Principle and that He preserves His creation in a state of perfect, changeless, unfolding activity! Certainly, then, there can be no place for evil, accident, loss, lack, or separation in the history of those who are convinced of their eternal birthright as sons of God. The Psalmist tells us that God never slumbers and never sleeps. And he adds (Ps. 121:8), "The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore."

Jesus told his followers not to be concerned about the morrow— about material needs. His instruction was (Matt. 6:33), "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." The surest preparation for tomorrow's needs is to gain today a clearer concept of God's eternal spiritual universe, of His all-inclusive love and care, and to live according to His law.

If one feels uncertain and fearful of the future, or desires to know what is going to happen to himself or to his friends, he needs to be alert to the pitfalls of false teachings. He needs to avoid the alluring but empty promises of spiritualism, astrology, and other practices which claim to foretell events or to enable one to communicate with the so-called dead. Such activities are valueless, for they are all based on attempts to read mortal mind, and they must end in greater uncertainty and confusion for the seeker. Even the tests of material science have long since proved the worthlessness of the claims of mortal mind reading and foretelling.

The Christian Scientist gains nothing from permitting his thoughts to dwell on mortal selfhood. His interests must be directed to Spirit and its spiritual creation. This alone assures his progress humanly and a future filled with rich attainment and peace for himself and his loved ones.

It is true that the prophets of old and Jesus, our Way-shower, foretold events and read mortal mind. But they did this naturally through an exalted state of communion with God, and not by means of so-called spirits or mortal mind reading. Mrs. Eddy testifies to this in the following enlightening statement (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 84): "It is the prerogative of the ever-present, divine Mind, and of thought which is in rapport with this Mind, to know the past, the present, and the future. Acquaintance with the Science of being enables us to commune more largely with the divine Mind, to foresee and foretell events which concern the universal welfare, to be divinely inspired,—yea, to reach the range of fetterless Mind." Our Leader proved the truth of this statement throughout her God-inspired career.

Divine Mind knows all and unfolds constantly what it knows to its beloved ideas. This Mind, being the only Mind, must be the Mind of all. And since man actually lives in and reflects the divine Mind, each of Mind's ideas knows instantly everything it needs to know about itself and all other ideas of God. We prove this as thought becomes spiritualized through prayer and demonstration of the truths of Christian Science.

In this way we lose the desire to speculate about the future of ourselves, and others, and of the world. We begin to glimpse the fact that the kingdom of heaven is within us. And in this kingdom, the consciousness of heavenly harmony, we know that all is well with the sons of God. Then we can sing with a poet (Christian Science Hymnal, No. 391):

Harold Molter