Editorial March 20, 1954 Issue

SCIENTIFIC WATCHING

Harold Molter

At a large fair visited by thousands of people, attention was daily directed to a display of jewels valued at millions of dollars. Every precaution was taken to see that the jewels were safe. Armed watchers were stationed above the heads of the people where they looked out from behind panels of glass, ready at a moment's notice to protect the jewels. What was the main duty of these watchmen? It was never to lose sight of the treasured jewels. But there was more to their duty than that. They had to watch all of the visitors and be alert to detect anyone who approached the treasures with the intent of stealing or defacing them.

Every Christian Scientist is a spiritual watchman. His first duty is to keep his thoughts fixed on the spiritual concept of himself and his surroundings. He must never lose sight of his true inheritance as a son of God or of God's perfect spiritual creation. But, like the armed watchman, he must also detect every lie of the material senses which would attempt to deface or steal from him the precious birthright of his dominion as God's idea. In fact, he must be ready to act at a moment's notice to defend this spiritual treasure.

The spiritual watchman never permits himself to be asleep to the claims of error. Mary Baker Eddy, our Leader, gives us this helpful admonition (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, pp. 128, 129): "Watch, and pray daily that evil suggestions, in whatever guise, take no root in your thought nor bear fruit. Ofttimes examine yourselves, and see if there be found anywhere a deterrent of Truth and Love, and 'hold fast that which is good.'"

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Editorial

REALIZATION OF TRUTH