Mortals are free moral agents, to choose whom they would serve," writes Mary Baker Eddy in "Unity of Good" (p. 60). It is clear, then, that each individual is free to choose continually between the substantial, or real, ideas of God, divine Mind, and the insubstantial, or unreal, suggestions of evil, or the carnal mind.

This process of choosing is manifest in everyday experiences through what might be called "the art of discard." When, for instance, symptoms of contagion or other discordant suggestions of disease approach the door of thought, each of us has the right and opportunity to reject, or discard, such notions.

Mrs. Eddy states in the textbook of Christian Science, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (pp. 425, 426), "Discard all notions about lungs, tubercles, inherited consumption, or disease arising from any circumstance, and you will find that mortal mind, when instructed by Truth, yields to divine power, which steers the body into health."

"Disease arising from any circumstance" might be said to embrace beliefs of heredity, environment, prenatal influence, hatred, fear, or human will. To discard quickly all such impositions is wise and results in healing, or restoration of the body to normal health. This is done on the basis of the truth concerning substance. This truth is that God, divine Love, is All-in-all; therefore to be substantial or permanent, ideas must be intelligent, wholly good and worthy. God's ideas are always characterized by just such attributes.

On the other hand, it is logical to conclude that the suggestions of evil ignorance, fear, limitation and termination of good are nonintelligent, fruitless, and substanceless.

Paul the Apostle called death "the last enemy" (I Cor. 15:26). To confront the last enemy with the challenge of man's substantiality and individuality is to put to rout that impostor, for it is provable through the art of discard that death is not a provision of God for His beloved child, whom He created to serve Him forever through Life, not death.

Furthermore, there is no inevitability, or reality, in sin. The Greek word hamartano, which is translated "sin" in the New Testament, means "to miss the mark." Missing the mark of perfection obtains in the ignorance of mortals of their true identity, of their sonship with one Father-Mother God.

The Christ, man's real selfhood or identity, comes to the awakening human consciousness and enlightens and changes the basis of thought. In this metamorphosis the old tatters of procrastination, sloth, personal vice or personal virtue false appetites, pride, and self-love are discarded. Then the seamless robe of righteousness, purity, brotherly love, patience, justice, tenderness, and moral courage is donned. Thus man is seen to be arrayed in true substance.

In the human experience, what is nearer and dearer to us than home? If, however, we find that our present concept of home is drear, not dear, or if it is filled with strife and animosity, or if it fails to express beauty, order, and peace, let us not be discouraged.

Let us rather remember that because our home is the outward manifestation of our convictions concerning God and man and is a wholly mental abode, we can, through the art of discard, begin at once to improve it.

To beautity and returbish home requires first of all the recognition that glorifing God is man's only reason for existing. This gives one the starting point from which to work. Then each can begin to eliminate from his mental home that which does not glorify God: greed, selfishness, apathy, so-called polite sins of commission and omission, and resistance to progress.

Each will know his own need and can begin to demonstrate more fully whatever of God's qualities are needed to set his house in order, furnish it tastefully, and prepare it for guests the appearing of God's angels, or thoughts.

The result of the art of discard in the establishment of one's home is indispensable to happiness and is truly impressive. My experience is a case in point. At one time the need and desirability of a change of residence was apparent. The first step was a visit to the office of a consecrated Christian Science practitioner.

The groundwork in the application of metaphysical truths to the human need was laid that day. Care was taken to ascertain that the underlying motive and initial desire for this step of progress were to glorify God in every way.

Through prayer and joyful expectancy came the inspiration for the necessary steps to be taken in the sale of our house. However, the actual sale did not occur immediately; for we had many lessons to learn, and the most needed was the art of discard.

Many months were spent in rigorously stirring and overturning thought. My husband and I gradually arrived at the conclusion that the ability to keep things current was largely lacking in our experience. This was the turning point in our demonstration, and we began the exodus from the bondage of accumulation.

Nothing in our home escaped careful, objective scrutiny as to its intrinsic, current, or future value. Gradually we gained freedom from the burden of so-called sacred relics of the past. We were led to see that what we had loved in past associations with family and friends were not the old box of patterns, moldy linens, and odds and ends of memorabilia, but, rather, the spiritual qualities of usefulness, loveliness, and harmony.

These qualities, we saw, were not to be found in material things, but were ever present with us as enduring, right ideas. So our concept of home, developed and fashioned on more spiritual lines through practicing the art of discard, proved to be one with fewer meaningless trappings and a higher understanding of man's place in God's household.

Finally, when the lesson was thoroughly learned, the sale was consummated; and we were shortly established in a new home which met our human needs comfortably and beautifully.

The art of discard helps promote the new birth of which Christ Jesus spoke when he said (John 3:3), "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Part of the definition of "kingdom of heaven" in Science and Health reads (p. 590), "The reign of harmony in divine Science."

If we would more quickly see this kingdom, we must free ourselves from the fetters of materiality, the blindness of despair, and the weight of false attachments and rise into the freshness, joy, and burdenless activity of living Love, true substance.