TRUE GUIDANCE FOR PARENTS

KATHRYN H. BRESLAUER

A CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST fulfills his duty as a parent with wisdom, courage, and clarity of thought. He can do this because he understands that God is the only creator and that His creation is wholly spiritual.

Mary Baker Eddy gives us in her writings invaluable guidance regarding the care and education of children. She shows us how to see each individual as truly a child of God. In "Miscellaneous Writings" she says (p. 185), "The spiritualization of our sense of men opens the gates of paradise that the so-called material senses would close, and reveals man infinitely blessed, upright, pure, and free; having no need of statistics by which to learn his origin and age, or to measure his manhood, or to know how much of a man he ever has been: for, 'as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God."

The understanding of this statement was a great help to a mother whose child, although apparently well able to do superior schoolwork, was falling behind in his studies, and was misbehaving as well. The school was considering assigning the boy to an adjustment class.

This situation was quickly healed through the application of Christian Science.

The boy's mother saw clearly that his spiritual status as a son of God could not be measured in any way by material means. She denied the reality of the testimony of material sense. She knew that God is the only Mind, that the child in his true selfhood, as the manifestation of this Mind, rightly expressed wisdom and intelligence, and that material laws, beliefs, or false prognostications could not hamper him. Very soon the child was doing his classwork satisfactorily and was given advanced work within the group to keep him busy and happy.

If we are to help children to know themselves as the sons and daughters of God, we must ourselves understand and acknowledge the oneness and allness of God and the perfection of His manifestation, man and the universe. The man of God's creating has no material stages of birth, adolescence, maturity, or death, but continuously reflects the infinite wisdom of Mind, the beauty and joy of Soul, the eternality of Life, the purity and sinlessness of Spirit. Since he is the expression of God's being, he manifests integrity; he is loving and lovable. Every one of his motives and acts is the reflection of God and so expresses divine Principle.

The testimony of material sense must be denied, and the truth of the following statement by Mrs. Eddy must be demonstrated (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 120): "The Science of Mind-healing shows it to be impossible for aught but Mind to testify truly or to exhibit the real status of man."

Salvation is an individual experience. A wise parent helps his child to gain a sound foundation of spiritual truth at home and in the Christian Science Sunday School. The child is encouraged to learn the distinction between erring mortal mind and the divine Mind and to endeavor to be governed by God, not by human will.

A child disciplined in accordance with the teachings of Christian Science is being lifted out of the mesmerism of selfishness and sin. The Christian Scientist gives the child opportunity to express his true individuality in the exercise of Christlike qualities. Regardless of his age, the child can express these true qualities in daily living, showing consideration and love for others and obeying his parents and those in authority at his school or camp. Whenever possible, each child can perform at home helpful tasks suitable to his age. All can learn to co-operate with others, at first in their small circle at home and then in the larger area at school or in the community.

We can know and apply specifically to our children the truth that because God is omnipresent, man cannot be separated from his Maker. God's idea cannot be buffeted by chance or material environment. Illusory material sense can never enter the infinite, omnipresent kingdom where God and man coexist. Neither God nor His ideas know evil or its false claim to reality. This claim of error, therefore, finds no lodgment in thought when seen as unreal and powerless.

Human parenthood can be a joyful, rewarding experience if we spiritualize our sense of each child while teaching and encouraging him to do the same for himself. As we look to God for wisdom, we shall be guided to do the correct human thing and shall understand more fully the privilege of being a parent. We have this Biblical promise to give us confidence (Prov. 3:5, 6): "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

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