Man enhavened in God, divine Love, is not subject to attacks of error. In heaven, the atmosphere of Love, there is only perfection. In heaven there is no matter or mortal mind, else it would not be heaven, for it would have some of the characteristics of hell.

Christian Scientists are becoming accustomed to the significance of the word "man." They spontaneously reject the belief that he is mortal or made of dust and accept the true designation of him as incorporeal, spiritual, and eternal. Spiritual man, our real selfhood, is forever safe, forever free, forever whole, forever good. That which is spiritual in our thoughts, and there is much that is spiritual there, is evidence of our true selfhood. This spiritual reality in consciousness can never be destroyed. Error cannot find anyone's spirituality. It only, in belief, touches material sense and its supposititious objectifications. As long as we believe we have materiality as a part of our being, error will trouble us. But Christian Science, in conformity to Biblical admonition, counsels the individual to depart from material sense and to find his security in Christ, Truth.

Mrs. Eddy says (Science and Health, p. 494): "Jesus demonstrated the inability of corporeality, as well as the infinite ability of Spirit, thus helping erring human sense to flee from its own convictions and seek safety in divine Science." To find protection from mortal error, we must learn of our true state of being as presented in divine Science. Although we are unsafe when we think of ourselves as mortals, we are safe when we understand that we are immortal ideas of infinite Love, existent exclusively in heaven, harmony.

Isaiah adjured (26:20), "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast." What is the hiding place for us? It is the infinitude of God, which man, our true selfhood, already inhabits. It is "the secret place of the most High" (Ps. 91:1); it is the consciousness of reality; it is our eternal, true home, or heaven.

When Paul said to the Colossians (3:3), "Your life is hid with Christ in God," he was alluding to our true conscious identity— our spiritual being. We cannot take with us into the secret hiding place anything that is unworthy of protection. This means that hatred, pride, fear, or sin does not enter "the secret place." Not one of these fits into the heaven of Soul, the consciousness of infinite goodness. If in our hearts is lust after the flesh, we, to that extent, are ineligible to the protection of the Most High, God. In the measure that sinful, fearful, ignorant sense is put off for spirituality, we have forthwith established ourselves as within the place of safety, apart from the inroads of error. As long as we hold to the enslaving errors of mortal belief as true or existent, our human lives are in jeopardy.

In a letter to First Church of Christ, Scientist, Denver, Colorado, Mrs. Eddy, after speaking of the need for Christly qualities, says (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 152): "Thus founded upon the rock of Christ, when storm and tempest beat against this sure foundation, you, safely sheltered in the strong tower of hope, faith, and Love, are God's nestlings; and He will hide you in His feathers till the storm has passed. Into His haven of Soul there enters no element of earth to cast out angels, to silence the right intuition which guides you safely home."

Our true security from error does not depend upon our physical strength, financial wealth, or material fortresses. Our true protection and safety from error are in spirituality. They depend upon our devotion to God, our recognition of Him as ever-present Love, omnipotent Mind, unerring Principle, eternal Life, and of ourselves as His perfect expression or image and likeness.

David's life was often in danger of destruction by his enemies, including Saul, the king. Even in his serious trials, however, he had assurance of God's protection. Referring to God, he said (Ps. 119:114), "Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word."

Like David, we too can look to God, divine Love, as our hiding place whenever danger, temptation, sin, disease, or any other form of discord faces us. We too can change our thinking from the material to the spiritual, from the base to the sublime, and demonstrate that God does indeed act as our shield from all evil. We too can be completely immune to thoughts of sickness and sin and can let our consciousness be permeated with health and purity. These spiritual qualities of God are included in the true nature of man. Even as darkness cannot invade light, so our thoughts imbued with health and purity cannot be invaded by sickness or any other error.

Man, God's child, is eternally and securely sheltered in "the secret place of the most High." He cannot be located by error, for error is blind before the reality of Truth, Life, and Love. We can demonstrate that truth, and so prove that error cannot find man.

John J. Selover