"Indestructible faculties of Spirit"

"The glory and radiance of Soul illumine all and give us clearness of vision"

One day a student of Christian Science twice attempted to dial a telephone number and heard no sound in the receiver. Concluding that the instrument was out of order, she communicated her findings to a fellow worker who lifted the receiver to her ear and said, "There is nothing wrong with the telephone." When the student tried the third time and still heard nothing, she became startled, though she said nothing to her companion. As soon as she was alone, she called a Christian Science practitioner and listened with the other ear.

The practitioner read aloud a few excerpts from an article in one of the Christian Science periodicals, the main point of which was that it is the listening ear, the ear that is attuned to spiritual truths, which hears. The practitioner also reminded her that Christian Science makes it plain that ears concern spiritual understanding.

As the student cultivated the desire to hear spiritually and listened for God's healing messages, her hearing became normal and has remained so.

The spiritual truth which brought healing in this specific instance has universal application. In Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy writes (p. 488 ), "Mind alone possesses all faculties, perception, and comprehension." And on page 162 of the same book she says, "The indestructible faculties of Spirit exist without the conditions of matter and also without the false beliefs of a so-called material existence."

All man's faculties, therefore, are spiritual because they derive from Mind, Spirit, and are forever perfect in function. Thought, memory, seeing, hearing, are not dependent upon organic or structural matter.

All faculties are expressed in man by the all-seeing, all-knowing, infinite Mind, eternal Life. Therefore man cannot express dullness, confusion, forgetfulness, imperfect vision or imperfect hearing. The clearer our understanding and the more complete our acceptance of these truths, the keener our present perceptions.

The glory and radiance of Soul illumine all and give us clearness of vision. Since vision is entirely spiritual, it can neither be helped nor hindered by matter. Men fully expect to see and hear in the hereafter. Then why not demonstrate the perfect faculties of Mind here and now? The recognition that heaven is not a far off place but the kingdom of God within us expedites the outward expression of perfection. The realization of the constant presence of the all-seeing Mind, God, enables one to demonstrate perfect vision.

The understanding that real sound is communicated through the senses of Soul is a true aid to hearing.

The perception that man reflects Mind's intelligence in all its varied expressions enables men to express unlimited abilities and opens undreamed-of possibilities for them.

Self-will, rebellion, or stubbornness may be the root of impairment of the faculties. Rebellion, whether expressed or latent, is resistance to spiritual truth or law. Is this not what the Lord must have meant when He told Ezekiel (12:2 ), "Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house."

Dull ears may not want to hear for fear of being converted. Dim eyes may not want to see the spiritual idea for fear of losing something material. Vague and forgetful consciousness may not want to remember for fear of being reborn and of losing pleasure in materiality.

It is not enough to try to see and hear spiritually. We must sincerely want to see and hear spiritually; we must want to leave materiality behind.

The senses are dulled not by constant use or the passage of time but by material thinking. It is obvious that the belief of age and self-depreciation rather than age often interferes with an individual's seeing.

God is the all-seeing, all-knowing intelligence. Jesus said  (John 5:19 ), "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." A correction was made in the May 20, 1961 Sentinel: "In the last paragraph on page 626 of the Sentinel of April 15 the second line was transposed. The sentences should read: "God is the all-seeing, all-knowing intelligence. Jesus said (John 5:19), 'The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he..." Perfect God does all the knowing, all the seeing, and man reflects both. In proportion as we comprehend what is meant by perfect God and His perfect idea, man, we shall not be subject to impaired or defective sight, hearing, memory, or any other facility.

The way to demonstrate immortal faculties is very well expressed in Hymn No. 144 in the Christian Science Hymnal, the first two stanzas of which read: