When an individual is judged guilty of having committed a crime, he is subject to punishment; but if he can establish his innocence before the law, he is immediately freed. Mankind has long been judged guilty of mortality, of sickness, sin, and death, of hatred and fear, and has suffered the punishment contingent upon these beliefs. But the Christ, Truth, as presented by Jesus, the great Exemplar, reveals man's eternal, unchanging innocence as a child of God.

The teachings of Christian Science confirm Jesus' teachings, and, when understood, free mortals from self-imposed bondage. Mary Baker Eddy includes in the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," beginning on page 430, an allegory depicting a mental trial. Mortal Man, being tried before the Court of Error, is found guilty of having committed liver complaint and is sentenced to death. But a new trial is called for in the higher Court of Spirit, and Christian Science, as counsel for the prisoner, proves man's innocence and wins his freedom with its accompanying regeneration.

This illustration is of practical value to one in solving the many problems in human experience. When the great fact becomes apparent to him that God's law of love is the only law, he is released from bondage to any so-called material law with its punishments, for no such law exists.

Suppose someone had been wrongly informed that in the city in which he lived there was an ordinance which restricted his rights to walk in and enjoy the beauties of one of the public parks. As long as he believed this to be true and obeyed what he considered a law, he would be limited accordingly, not because of any law, but because of his belief in it. As soon as he learned the truth that no such ordinance existed, he would immediately be freed from any limitation imposed by his erroneous belief and would thereafter enjoy his rightful freedom.

Man, God's perfect likeness, is subject only to God's gracious government, which confers harmony. Each individual is free to demonstrate his lawful and natural perfection at all times and under all circumstance.

One of the insidious beliefs of mortal mind which claims to operate as a law of restriction and limitation to mankind is the belief of age and decadence. But man is not guilty of age, for he lives in eternity, not in time. He is the eternal reflection of God and is forever at the standpoint of perfection. Noah, Methuselah, and other patriarchs proved this in a measure, reputedly retaining their health, strength, and vigor far beyond the time commonly allotted by mortal mind.

Neither is man guilty of disease, for he is not physical, but spiritual, the image and likeness of God. Sickness is illegitimate because God is not its author. Jesus healed all manner of disease through his understanding of ever-present health and taught his disciples to do likewise. He annulled false laws of heredity and contagion.

The Way-shower expected all who believed his teachings to heal the sick, for he declared (John 14:12), "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." Today students of Christian Science endeavor to emulate Jesus' example and are doing so in the measure of their understanding of the divine Principle of his healing works.

Man is not guilty of fear, for, as Paul wrote (II Tim. 1:7), "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." One is afraid only when he believes something that is untrue, for God made all and made it good. He never created anything of which one could possibly be afraid. Nor is man guilty of sin, for sin is but an unreal concept of the human mind, unknown to divine Mind.

Mrs. Eddy says (Science and Health, p. 339): "God, Spirit, alone created all, and called it good. Therefore evil, being contrary to good, is unreal, and cannot be the product of God." And she warns (ibid., p. 497), "But the belief in sin is punished so long as the belief lasts."

Through consistent study of the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, many are overcoming the beliefs of the carnal mind which hold men in bondage and result in punishment. The false witnesses must be silenced and the truth must be revealed that there is no condemnation for man, God's pure and perfect reflection.

The writer has healed disease and restored harmony by firmly maintaining man's innocence and consequent exemption from punishment, for, as we read in Job (4:7), "Who ever perished, being innocent?" Man is not subject to any false law of mortal mind, be it medical, theological, or so-called natural law.

The account of the aforementioned trial closes with this resounding summation (Science and Health, pp. 441, 442): "We have no trials for sickness before the tribunal of divine Spirit. There, Man is adjudged innocent of transgressing physical laws, because there are no such laws. Our statute is spiritual, our Government is divine. 'Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?'"